UFC Athletes No Longer Allowed to Bet on Fights Within Promotion

Vegas hating . 209 !!!! Let’s get this money . Stockton slap #UFC279 pic.twitter.com/F6IQruT4Tj

— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) September 8, 2022

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has updated its code of conduct to prohibit its athletes from betting on fights within the promotion.

UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell wrote in a memo initially obtained by Yahoo Sports that fighters, members of their teams and “certain others” are no longer allowed to wager on Octagon bouts.

“In light of clear direction that we have received from regulators responsible for the regulated sports betting industry in the United States, we are compelled at this time to recognize in the UFC Athlete Conduct Policy certain restrictions relating to wagering by our athletes, members of their teams and certain others,” Campbell wrote.

“As you may already be aware, most states in which regulated sports betting is conducted prohibit athletes from wagering on promotions or events with which they are affiliated. Many states also extend this prohibition to the athletes' training teams, family members and others that have access to "inside information" relating to the athletes and their events. In some instances, violations of these prohibitions could result in criminal charges. The UFC's contracted athletes are not exempt from these prohibitions, which state legislators and regulators have implemented for the purpose of maintaining the integrity of our sport. In order to assist our athletes in understanding their obligations under the laws of the majority of states in which sports betting is permitted, and in further support of these integrity measures, UFC has incorporated a wagering prohibition into the UFC Athlete Conduct Policy expressly prohibiting athletes from wagering on any UFC match.”

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UFC fighters are not prohibited from wagering on other promotions, and they are also allowed to accept sponsorships from sports betting companies. The updated section in the UFC Code of Conduct is as follows:

Athletes are prohibited from placing any wagers (directly or through a third party) on any UFC match, including placing any wagers on themselves. In most states with legalized sports betting, wagering by an athlete (directly or through a third party) on any MMA match put on by a promoter with which they are affiliated is illegal and may result in criminal sanction. Athletes should also be aware that in most states these same prohibitions apply to some or all of (i) relatives living in the same household as an athlete, (ii) an athlete’s coaches, managers, handlers, athletic trainers, medical professionals and staff, and (iii) any other person with access to non-public information regarding participants in any MMA match. An athlete that becomes aware or has knowledge of any wagering in violation of these restrictions must immediately notify UFC of such incident in accordance with this UFC Athlete Conduct Policy.

In an interview with Yahoo Sports, Campbell said that many states with legalized sports betting have adopted policies prohibiting athletes to gamble on the sports in which they participate. In the past, several UFC fighters have made public their bets on fights within the promotion.

"As gaming has grown nationwide, we've been in contact with the overwhelming majority of regulatory bodies," Campbell told Yahoo Sports. "It has been made clear to us that a large percentage of regulatory bodies prohibit what they would consider inside betting with people who are active participants in the sports that they bet.”