MLB Players Union Pushes for Complete Ban on Player Prop Bets

The Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) is reportedly pushing for a nationwide ban on player prop bets, targeting both retail and online sportsbooks as well as federally regulated prediction markets. This move comes as the union and MLB enter negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), set to replace the current contract expiring on December 1.

The proposal, which would prohibit wagers on individual player performances—such as home run predictions or strikeout counts—aims to address the harassment athletes face due to these bets. While the NCAA has successfully lobbied for restrictions on college player props in 15 states, professional sports, including MLB, have largely allowed such wagers to continue.

However, achieving a nationwide ban presents significant legal and political challenges. The Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling in Murphy v. NCAA affirmed states’ rights to regulate sports betting, making federal intervention difficult. While Congress could impose restrictions on prediction markets regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), a blanket ban on state-regulated sportsbooks would require congressional action—a prospect that has faced little traction in recent years.

Federal sports betting bills, such as the SAFE Bet Act introduced by Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and the PROTECT Student Athletes Act, led by Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-WA), have both stalled. The latter focuses specifically on banning college athlete props, while the former seeks broader sports betting regulations.

‘Prop bets have been blamed for much of the harassment professional and student-athletes receive on and off the field,’ according to an ESPN report. The MLBPA’s proposal, if adopted, could influence other leagues to follow suit, though the road to implementation remains uncertain.