The MLBPA wants to ban these risky bets
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28 Jun 2026 •
Reading time: 3 minutes
The MLBPA, the players’ union of Major League Baseball, wants to ban betting linked to players’ individual performances.
A bet that has become too personal
The MLBPA believes that bets centred on an individual play or statistic expose athletes to disproportionate pressure.
The players’ union has therefore proposed, during discussions with Major League Baseball, a ban on bets relating to individual performances. According to ESPN, the MLBPA hopes this initiative will lead to a joint effort with the league to advocate for a ban amongst the relevant stakeholders.
These bets do not merely concern the final result of a match. They may target a specific player, a specific play, or sometimes even a very brief moment during the match. Consequently, in the minds of some bettors, the loss of a bet can be attributed to a single person on the field.
What the MLBPA wants to ban
The union’s proposal targets all bets relating to individual performances. It is not limited to bets placed before the start of a match. It also includes in-play bets placed during the match.
These bets may relate to events that are very popular with punters: will a player hit a home run? How many strikeouts will a pitcher record? Will a specific play occur at a given moment?
The MLBPA wants to prevent players’ personal statistics from becoming the subject of speculation, regardless of the commercial format used.
Players under pressure after losing bets
Players are reportedly facing increased intimidation from punters following losing bets. The union therefore aims to reduce situations in which an athlete becomes the direct target of financial discontent.
In traditional betting on the outcome of a match, the perceived responsibility is often collective. In betting on individual performances, it is concentrated on a single player. This concentration of risk transforms the relationship between the betting public and the athlete.
When sums of money depend on an individual action, every pitch, every turn at bat or every statistic can become a source of frustration for some punters. The MLBPA considers that this mechanism fuels unhealthy pressure.
The Cleveland pitchers’ case
Two Cleveland Guardians pitchers have been implicated for their alleged involvement in the targeted manipulation of game situations.
In the wake of this incident, MLB has already taken certain measures with affiliated betting operators. A maximum stake of $250 has been introduced for bets relating to the first pitch. The league has also requested that, with most operators, these bets no longer be included in accumulator bets.
These restrictions show that MLB has already identified certain risks. The difference this time is that the MLBPA wants to go much further. It is not merely calling for limits on certain amounts or combinations. It wants to ban all betting on individual performances.
The NCAA is waging a parallel battle
The MLBPA is not alone in questioning betting on individual performances. The NCAA, the American university sports organisation, has also spoken out against this type of betting when it involves student-athletes.
On Thursday, the NCAA asked the Indiana Gaming Commission to ban betting on university athletes. It had already made a similar appeal in 2024, without success.