Major League Soccer (MLS) has banned two former players, Derrick Jones and Yaw Yeboah, for life after an investigation found they engaged in extensive gambling on soccer matches, including those involving their own teams. The league stated it received suspicious betting alerts through integrity partners and subsequently hired a law firm to conduct an inquiry. The bans come just weeks after MLS announced a partnership with Polymarket, a prediction platform that allows users to bet on a wide range of events.
The investigation was triggered in October 2025, leading to the players being placed on administrative leave. According to MLS, Jones and Yeboah placed bets during the 2024 and 2025 seasons, including a wager on whether Jones would receive a yellow card in a match on 19 October 2024 when both were playing for Columbus Crew. Jones did receive a yellow card. The players were also found to have shared information about their manipulation of yellow cards with other bettors.
The longstanding partnership with Polymarket, announced 42 days before the bans were made public, has drawn criticism for its poor timing. Gary Stevenson, the league's deputy commissioner, touted the deal as a way to integrate prediction markets as a fan engagement format. However, critics argue that such agreements increase the risk of match-fixing, especially given the league's existing vulnerabilities. The suspensions highlight a broader tension between the league's pursuit of revenue from gambling and its commitment to maintaining the integrity of the sport.
MLS had prior warning of gambling-related issues. In 2021, Sporting Kansas City midfielder Felipe Hernández was suspended for betting offences; he was allowed to return but was caught again in 2024, leading to the termination of his contract. The league's decision to enter into a commercial relationship with a prediction platform while an active match-fixing investigation was underway raises questions about its priorities. The case underscores the challenges faced by sports leagues in balancing financial opportunities with the need to protect the credibility of their competitions.
