MLB, Gambling Firms Move Toward Micro Prop Betting Ban
Major League Baseball is working with licensed gambling operators to remove "micro prop" betting from the sport, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in an interview with The Dispatch on Oct. 28.
According to Gov. DeWine, the MLB commissioner's office informed him that the league "thought they had an agreement" with nearly all of the best sports betting sites, except one, to prohibit the wagers. Micro prop bets allow users to wager on highly specific, player-controlled outcomes such as how many strikeouts a pitcher records or how long they stay in the game.
In-game betting, including micro props, is a growing share of the sports betting market. Data from The New York Times indicated that such wagers accounted for more than half of total betting volume on platforms like FanDuel and DraftKings in recent quarters.
MLB's push comes as professional sports face renewed scrutiny over gambling integrity. Just days earlier, FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrests of an NBA head coach, a current player, and a former player connected to an alleged illegal betting ring.
The proposed ban would apply only to MLB and not to other professional sports leagues, Gov. DeWine said. It follows previous actions by Ohio regulators, including a February 2024 decision by the Ohio Casino Control Commission to ban prop bets on college athletes, at the NCAA's request.
Gov. DeWine Considers State Action if Leagues Delay
Gov. DeWine said he plans to wait until after the World Series to hear back from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred before taking any state-level action on micro prop betting. However, he emphasized that he is "not going to wait much longer" for other leagues, including the NFL, NBA, NHL, and more, to implement similar measures.
The governor said the issue should ideally be resolved through a "holistic solution" that covers all US jurisdictions. Still, if a national consensus cannot be reached, he will "probably" direct the Ohio Casino Control Commission to move forward with a statewide ban.
Any regulatory change initiated by Gov. DeWine would require approval from the Ohio Legislature's Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review before becoming effective. However, if a professional league such as the MLB formally requested the commission to adjust its betting rules, the agency could enact the change directly, DeWine noted.
The governor's comments underscore growing state concern over the potential integrity risks tied to micro prop wagers, particularly in light of recent betting scandals involving professional athletes and coaches.
