MLB Announces Limits on Micro Bets With Other Sports Urged to Follow

Major League Baseball (MLB) has announced an agreement with sportsbooks to restrict betting on micro bets, such as individual pitches. 

The move comes in the wake of the arrests of Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz. More leagues have been urged to restrict prop betting as scandals continue to spread across the MLB, NBA, NCAA, UFC, and esports. 

There will now be a $200 limit on baseball micro bets, and these bets will be excluded from parlays. 

In a press release, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said, “Since the Supreme Court decision opened the door to legalized sports betting, Major League Baseball has continuously worked with industry and regulatory stakeholders across the country to uphold our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans.”

Micro bets on Major League Baseball matches have come under scrutiny. Image Credit: MLB

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has led calls for restrictions on prop betting since it was revealed that Clase and Ortiz were under investigation in July. The two players allegedly accepted bribes to deliberately throw balls in games over the last few seasons. 

The players were released on bail following their arrests, and their attorneys insist they are innocent. Clase’s attorney, Michael J. Ferrera, stated, “Emmanuel is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said he “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything.”

NBA Urged to Follow MLB Example

DeWine has urged other leagues to follow the MLB’s example, stating, “By limiting the ability to place large wagers on micro-prop bets, Major League Baseball is taking affirmative steps to protect the integrity of the game and reduce the incentives to participate in improper betting schemes. I urge other sports leagues to follow Major League Baseball’s example with similar action.”

In the wake of the arrests of Terry, Rozier, Chauncey Billups, and Damon Jones, there have been calls on the NBA to limit prop betting. 

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that restricting prop betting could protect both players and the sport’s integrity. He said, “It’s often the case that your team wins and a player scores 25 points, but the fan had bet that the player was going to score 28 or 30 or whatever else.”

“We have to protect the competitors. We want to protect the environment in the arena of people getting out of hand.”

Lawmakers Pressuring Leagues to Take Action

Other leagues, like the NBA, have been urged to follow suit. Image Credit: NBA

Lawmakers have echoed those sentiments. Sen. Dick Durbin said in a statement that he was “committed to getting prop bets out of the system.” Meanwhile, Rep. Michael Baumgartner said the “world of prop bets has opened up a lot of potential for illegal activity and issues that can threaten games.”

He refrained from calling for a complete ban, but as high-profile scandals continue, the pressure to place more restrictions on the types of bets sportsbooks can accept is growing. 

In esports, betting options have also been expanding to include micro bets, such as the number of kills in CS2 or first team to kill Roshan in Dota 2. 

The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has been expanding its partnerships in an effort to combat corruption. Rollbit became the latest to sign up last week.

ESIC CEO Stephen Hanna commented, “ESIC’s mission is built on collaboration, transparency, and a shared responsibility to protect esports from corruption.”

Prediction Markets Expanding Betting Options

At the same time as sportsbooks and leagues work to restrict betting options, prediction markets are offering new ways to wager on sports. 

Polymarket is preparing to relaunch in the US and ahead of going live, Sportstensor, which has a strategic partnership with the company, made a deal with GRID to integrate official esports data into markets. 

Operators such as Polymarket and Kalshi can expand options by self-certifying markets with limited oversight. Critics of limiting prop betting at licensed sportsbooks claim it will drive users to unregulated, offshore platforms. 

The American Gaming Association (AGA) has opposed the expansion of prediction markets as well as limiting prop betting. A spokesperson commented, “Prohibition doesn’t stop betting — it stops oversight. Illegal operators won’t honour bans, won’t partner with leagues, and won’t protect players or fans.”

The spate of recent match-fixing and betting scandals presents a problem for regulators in how best to protect the integrity of sports, while limiting the expansion of unregulated betting.