MMA has been intertwined with betting for a long time. Naturally, this raised questions about fairness, conflict of interest, and regulatory oversight. Notably, UFC fighters used to be able to bet on their own fights, provided they only wagered on themselves to win. But, after several UFC betting investigations and uncovered scandals, the regulatory scrutiny ramped up, and they made some adjustments to the rules of UFC at the end of 2022. 

This article will trace that evolution, from relaxed early rules to the full ban currently in place in the UFC’s Athlete Conduct Policy.

History of Betting in the UFC

Understanding today’s policies and rules needs some discussion of how the UFC went from a complete 180 on its gambling policy.

Before October 2022, UFC fighting rules permitted fighters to bet on fights, as long as they were not betting against themselves. The UFC did not include any explicit prohibitions against betting in fighters’ contracts, and many fighters rationalized betting as a relatively unregulated “bonus.” Prohibitions were against betting against yourself, which would always be a defined conflict of interest.

On October 17, 2022, Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell issued a memo revising the UFC Athlete Conduct policy. It included a new UFC rulebook prohibiting athletes from placing any bets on fights, regardless of whether it was on themselves or not. The motivation behind the change was advice from sports gambling regulators in many US states that outright ban active participation of athletes in gambling.

Betting on Non-UFC Events

So, can UFC fighters bet on themselves? The answer is simple: no. That said, they are still allowed to bet on:

• Fights from other MMA organizations, such as Bellator or Cage Warriors

• Mainstream sports such as the NBA, NFL, MLB, and other leagues

These wagers are permitted because they are not UFC-affiliated activities and they do not create direct conflicts of interest.

UFC athletes and their teams can still wager on non-sport gambling, which includes casino games and online platforms, as long as they follow provincial regulatory laws. This means that fighters can interact with the platform kaszino-world.com for casino entertainment. That site makes it easy to access secure play and good operators, and is commonly used by athletes for off-the-clock enjoyment and fun. In other words, if UFC personnel stay away from betting on their organization, online casino gaming can be a valid, unregulated form of play.

Why UFC Fighters Can No Longer Bet on UFC Fights

The UFC’s prohibition was not an arbitrary decision. It was made in response to a growing number of integrity concerns and regulatory pressure. 

Fairness was the ultimate issue for regulators, as well as the potential for insider knowledge. State regulators and anti-corruption oversight warned that any participant betting on bouts that they were associated with, whether directly or indirectly, is a serious issue.

Also, President Dana White agreed with the ban as he noted betting on fights by fighters does “not look good” and could damage the sport. He said that they have to be above board, and that maintaining credibility is of great importance. 

James Krause Scandal

This change of UFC betting rules wasn’t out of nowhere. It followed a highly publicized scandal involving coach James Krause. He is under investigation due to allegations that he participated in match-fixing and illegal betting operations. Additionally, fighters who trained at his gym didn’t disclose their injuries prior to the matches, which had an impact on the odds. 

Minner vs. Nuerdanbieke Fight

On November 5, 2022, Darrick Minner faced Shayilan Nuerdanbieke at UFC Fight Night 214. Within moments of the fight, oddsmakers started to see some very odd wagers come in all at once, and they placed a flag on Minner and his coach, James Krause. The bets on Nuerdanbieke’s first-round knockout were huge, and all came within a few hours. This indicated a coordinated effort that was clearly against UFC rules and regulations, which warranted a serious investigation.

Minner’s coach, James Krause, was suspended immediately by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The UFC announced that fighters and coaches affiliated with Krause must leave Krause, otherwise they may not compete in the UFC.

UFC Focus on Gambling Integrity

In the aftermath of the Krause UFC betting scandal, the sport made many decisive moves toward earning public confidence and ensuring integrity in events.

On January 19, 2023, they made an official announcement with the U.S. Integrity to check the betting integrity for the fighter, manager, handlers, etc.

Now, the sport has officially banned all insiders with insider knowledge about UFC fights, including athletes, coaches, managers, handlers, and a few family members.

What it Means for Fighters and UFC

What a big change like this does is create ripple effects across the sport. Let’s examine some of the ways that fighters and the sport are now engaging with this betting model.

Impact on Fighters

Many fighters were getting income from their fights by placing bets on sports. This is not possible anymore as one of the requirements to be a UFC fighter is that you cannot place a wager on this sport.

Impact on the Sport’s Identity

The UFC is, between not allowing insiders to wager, creating strict monitoring and transparency, and working with regulators, firmly establishing their view on integrity.

Conclusion

There was a period of time, pre-October 2022, where UFC rules MMA allowed fighters to wager on their own fights, as long as they didn’t bet against themselves.

After October 17, 2022, the sport issued a broad ban on UFC-affiliated wagering by fighters, coaches, and insiders. When the Minner/Krause scandal occurred, it gave rise to regulatory investigations, suspensions, and relationships with integrity firms that have a firm place in the new era.