MLS and Polymarket partnership scandal amid player lifetime bans for betting
A scandal erupted involving Major League Soccer’s (MLS) deal with the betting platform Polymarket, announced just 42 days before the lifetime bans of Derrick Jones and Yaw Eboah for betting on their own matches. The league had been aware of the investigation since October 2025 but continued to promote the platform among fans.
The Guardian highlights the ironic contradiction: while MLS urges players to uphold fair play, it simultaneously promotes betting. The league commissioner’s statement about an “unchanging commitment to fair play” was likened to giving fire safety advice to someone who just set a barn on fire.
This incident raises ethical concerns about sports leagues’ partnerships with betting companies and may lead to stricter regulatory scrutiny going forward.
