Campbell tells UFC fighters bets are off

UFC Chief Business Director sent a letter to fighters on Monday, notifying them of changes in the UFC Athlete Conduct Policy. The changes, said Hunter Campbell, pertained to sports wagering done by fighters or their close associates, family, and friends. Moving forward, the UFC is prohibiting any wagers from being placed on the promotion’s events in any capacity.

While the change in policy does not prohibit UFC fighters from wagering on other MMA promotions, it makes a point of not permitting any gambling to take place on any Octagon fights if the people placing the bets are related to the promotion in any capacity.

Campbell reminded that there has been a push for legalization in the United States and as such, states have made it illegal for athletes to gamble on the sports they represent or participate in. The executive further explained his motivation:

"The UFC’s contracted athletes are not exempt from these prohibitions, which state legislators and regulators have implemented for the purpose of maintaining the integrity of our sport."

However, the letter does allow fighters to continue representing sports betting brands or serve as their ambassadors if they choose to. There will be no issue with fighters taking a bet on another MMA promotion, so the measure is not so much sport specific as it is UFC-focused. This way, Campbell believes that the UFC will be able to protect the sports and promotion and ensure fair contests for all.

The fairness of contests is important both for sports betting handle but also for the UFC’s own viewership numbers and business outlook. The UFC is de facto not doing anything new as every major sports organization in the United States has already implemented this measure. Some had it as early as the legalization of sports betting across the United States in 2018, but the UFC has taken some time to catch up.

The prominence and fast expansion of regulated gambling, though, has given Campbell a further incentive to seek out the best course of action to protect the UFC’s integrity. Campbell admitted in an exchange with Yahoo Sports that the UFC had been aware that regulators prohibited betting to go down on a sport that the person betting was involved with in some professional or associative quality. Overall, the UFC is headed in the right direction.

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