Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has declared that the MLB is "generally prepared to move forward" under its current betting regulations. This statement comes after the league's authorised sportsbook partners introduced significant restrictions on proposition bets, commonly known as prop bets, within baseball.
New Restrictions on Prop Bets
Earlier this month, major sportsbooks announced they would impose a limit of $200 for wagers on individual pitches. Furthermore, these specific bets will now be excluded from parlay wagers. This decisive action was triggered by a federal indictment against two Cleveland Guardians players, Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase.
Prosecutors allege the players were involved in a gambling scheme where they rigged individual pitches. Both athletes face serious charges, including wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery. If found guilty, they could confront lifetime bans from the sport and prison sentences of up to 65 years.
Manfred's Stance on Integrity Monitoring
Speaking at a scheduled news conference during the MLB's owners meetings, Commissioner Manfred emphasised the critical role of monitoring. "The ability to discern inappropriate patterns is really, really important," Manfred stated. He acknowledged that the league understood the potential issues with prop bets from the outset and expressed satisfaction that action had been taken.
Manfred credited Ohio Governor Mike DeWine for helping to facilitate the new restrictions, stating he "did a huge service" in highlighting the need for action. The Commissioner suggested that an outright ban on prop bets is not necessary, asserting that "the changes that we've made strike the right balance."
Addressing the Senate's Concerns
The league's position comes as it faces scrutiny from the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The committee, which oversees professional sports, recently sent a letter to Manfred claiming that MLB and American sports are facing a "new integrity crisis." They described the recent scandal as "markedly more serious" than other recent sports betting incidents in baseball.
Manfred addressed this inquiry directly, confirming the league would "respond fully and cooperatively and on time." He defended the league's recent steps, stating that limiting the size of prop bets and prohibiting parlays on them is a "really significant change" that should reduce the incentive for misconduct.
