Major League Baseball (MLB) has introduced new limits on pitch-level markets after two Cleveland Guardians pitchers were charged in relation to a micro-prop betting scheme.
Effective immediately, all MLB authorized gaming operators will cap wagers on pitch-level markets at $200 and exclude those bets from parlays.
This follows Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s request in July that MLB and other sports leagues take action after two Cleveland Guardians pitchers were placed on leave as part of a sports betting investigation.
On Sunday, an indictment was unsealed charging Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz for their alleged roles in a scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown during MLB games.
The new measures have been implemented across sportsbook operators representing more than 98 per cent of the US betting market, and are intended to mitigate integrity risks and maintain the transparency and data access benefits that the regulated sports betting market provides.
MLB explained that while most prop bets present limited integrity risk because they take into account multiple events that are influenced by more than one actor, “micro-bet” pitch-level markets such as ball/strike and pitch velocity present heightened integrity risks because they focus on one-off events that can be determined by a single player and can be inconsequential to the outcome of the game.
“Since the Supreme Court decision opened the door to legalized sports betting, Major League Baseball has continuously worked with industry and regulatory stakeholders across the country to uphold our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans,” said Commissioner of Baseball Robert Manfred Jr. “I commend Ohio Governor DeWine for his leadership on this issue over the last several months. I also commend the industry for working with us to take action on a national solution to address the risks posed by these pitch-level markets, which are particularly vulnerable to integrity concerns.
“We look forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders, including licensed sports betting operators, elected officials and regulators, to ensure we are always protecting the integrity of our game.”
Governor DeWine commented: “I commend Commissioner Manfred, Major League Baseball, and its partners for taking this action to address the problem of micro-prop bets. By limiting the ability to place large wagers on micro-prop bets, Major League Baseball is taking affirmative steps to protect the integrity of the game and reduce the incentives to participate in improper betting schemes. I urge other sports leagues to follow Major League Baseball’s example with similar action.”
FanDuel president Christian Genetski added: “The legalized sports betting industry is built on a foundation of dialogue and collaboration with our league partners and the states in which we operate. This initiative illustrates our unwavering commitment to building a legal and regulated market that roots out abuses by those who seek to undermine fair competition and damage the integrity of the games we love.”