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MLBPA Tells Congress It Wants MLB to Ban Prop Bets

Quick Glance at the Facts

• The MLB Players Association told Congress it may bar players from personalized VIP marketing deals with sportsbooks.
• It wants MLB to join a push to ban prop bets and in-game event contracts, but MLB has rejected the idea.
• The MLB and players’ collective bargaining agreement expires in December 2026, setting a deadline for new rules.

The MLB Players Association told Congress it is open to banning players from personalized VIP marketing deals and wants MLB to push a prop-bet ban, Legal Sports Report reported on August 25, 2026. The moves could reshape how licensed and regulated US sportsbooks market to high rollers and which bets they offer.

What The MLBPA Told Lawmakers About VIP Marketing

This new letter from the MLBPA General Counsel Jeffrey Perconte is a response to an August 10 letter from Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Reps. Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Valerie Foushee (D-NC). Those lawmakers wanted an end to FanDuel’s VIP marketing after a VIP host sent customer Terry Thompson a personalized Bryce Harper Cameo video.

Perconte wrote, “We are also open to CBA restrictions prohibiting players from participating in personalized marketing campaigns aimed at VIPs.” The union still backs endorsement deals between players and betting companies. Its Sports Betting Policy lets players use their name, image and likeness but bars advertising or encouraging betting on any baseball game. The MLBPA admitted its policy does not “explicitly reference or otherwise address the types of ‘predatory VIP programs'” the lawmakers described.

The bigger ask involves prop bets. The MLBPA proposed lobbying with MLB to ban proposition bets and event contracts tied to in-game performance, citing higher problem-gambling rates. “While MLB has thus far rejected this proposal, we intend to continue pursuing it,” Perconte wrote, per SBC Americas on August 26, 2026.

Leagues have leaned this way before, as our NFL prop-bet crackdown coverage shows, and states like New Jersey have tried to ban prop and live micro bets. In 2025, the MLBPA and MLB updated the policy to stop players from using prediction markets and sharing confidential information with third parties for contracts. Perconte also pointed to Polymarket’s deal with the New York Yankees and Novig’s ties to the Mets, while Kalshi announced multi-year partnerships with five MLB teams.

What Happens Next In These Talks

FanDuel replied earlier in August, but skipped most of the questions. Rep. Tonko said he was unhappy and pushed for the SAFE Bet Act, the federal sports betting oversight bill he and Sen. Blumenthal proposed. Talks continue, and the MLBPA says it will keep pushing the prop ban before the December 2026 labor deal expires.

How This Impacts Players

Nothing changes at the betting window right now. Prop bets, live micro bets, and VIP programs stay available at licensed and regulated US sportsbooks while negotiations run. About half of MLB’s 30 franchises have partnerships or sponsorships with sports betting operators, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported on August 25, 2026. If the MLBPA gets its way, bettors could see fewer prop options and tighter VIP marketing at regulated US books.

GamblingNerd Take

MLB’s resistance makes a prop-bet ban unlikely before the next labor deal. If you bet props or live micro bets, watch how the CBA lands, since any limits would hit licensed US sportsbooks, while offshore MLB sportsbooks stay unaffected.