MLB working with operators to ban ‘micro prop’ bets, says Ohio governor

Major League Baseball is working with sports gambling companies to eliminate “micro prop” betting from the sport, according to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.

In an interview with The Columbus Dispatch, DeWine said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred’s office informed him that the league had reached agreements with nearly all major sports betting operators — except one — to ban micro prop wagers. These types of bets allow gamblers to wager on highly specific in-game actions, such as how many strikeouts a pitcher records or how many innings they complete.

"These micro prop bets are just very dangerous. They're really a great threat to the integrity of sports,” said DeWine. “And they can occur in baseball, but they can also occur in other sports as well. And they do occur in other sports as well.”

Micro prop betting is part of a broader category known as in-game or live betting, which accounted for more than half of the total wagers placed on FanDuel and DraftKings in recent financial quarters, according to The New York Times.

DeWine’s discussions with MLB come just days after FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrest of a sitting NBA head coach, a current player, and a former player in connection with an alleged illegal gambling scheme.

The proposed ban would apply only to MLB, not to other professional leagues. DeWine said he plans to wait until after the World Series before deciding whether to take further state regulatory action.

The governor first called for a ban on micro prop betting in July, after the Cleveland Guardians placed pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase on leave as part of a gambling investigation.

DeWine said he favors a “holistic solution” that addresses the issue nationwide, but if that’s not possible, he would “probably” ask the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) to prohibit such bets within the state.

Any new state rules would need approval from the Ohio Legislature’s Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review before taking effect. However, if a sports league formally requested a change, DeWine said the OCCC could act more swiftly.

This would not be the first time Ohio regulators have adjusted betting rules in response to league concerns. In February 2024, the OCCC banned prop bets involving college athletes less than a month after the NCAA requested the change.