White warned the proposed tax change could push bettors towards unregulated markets and damage the UFC’s growing ties to legal sportsbooks.
UFC President and CEO Dana White has warned President Donald Trump that gambling tax rules introduced under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act could hurt the UFC.
In a letter sent to Trump on 11 May, the White urged the administration to reverse a section within the bill which limits gaming loss deductions for taxpayers to 90%.
White said the policy discourages legal betting activity and creates unintended consequences for sports organisations tied to the regulated gambling market.
White wrote that it currently makes it “irrational to bet in the US” because gamblers could face tax bills even in years where they lose money overall.
He also warned the policy could undermine Trump’s “No Tax on Tips” agenda, claiming fewer gamblers would be willing to spend heavily if they are exposed to higher tax liabilities.
White also raised concerns that the change could hurt his organisation’s commercial interests, which have become increasingly linked with sportsbooks through sponsorships, fan engagement tools and broadcast integrations.
“The UFC supports a healthy, legal sports betting market to drive fan engagement, broadcast value, and sponsorships,” White wrote.
“When legal betting is discouraged, it hurts the ecosystem we’ve spent years building in partnership with state regulators and licensed operators.”
White brings betting integrity into focus
White’s word of warning also comes at a sensitive time for the UFC, which has spent recent months dealing with an increase in betting integrity concerns surrounding its fights.
In January, the promotion cancelled a lightweight bout between Alexander Hernandez and Michael Johnson at UFC 324 after its betting integrity partner IC360 flagged suspicious wagering activity before the event.
Months earlier, sportsbooks suspended betting on a featherweight contest between Isaac Dulgarian and Yadier del Valle following unusual line movement and irregular prop betting activity, though the fight went ahead.
Dulgarian later lost in the first round under circumstances which fuelled speculation online, though the UFC stated his eventual release from the organisation was performance-related and not tied to integrity concerns.
Speaking after UFC 324, White suggested the organisation had changed its approach to flagged betting activity.
“It happened again,” White said during his post-fight press conference. “We got called from the gaming integrity service, and I said, ‘I’m not doing this s— again.’ So we pulled the fight.”
White’s latest letter to Trump shows the UFC’s growing reliance on regulated betting markets and integrity monitoring systems.
Legal sportsbooks provide organisations and integrity firms with data capable of identifying unusual betting patterns in real time, helping promotions intervene before concerns escalate.
However, if people choose to bet via unregulated sportsbooks, then organisations like the UFC are less likely to be aware of integrity issues.
President Donald Trump and the UFC
White was one of Trump’s most vocal supporters during the 2024 presidential campaign, endorsing him at rallies and public appearances.
This builds on Trump’s love for combat sports and his relationship with the mixed martial arts league, becoming the first sitting US President to attend a UFC event when he appeared at UFC 244 during his first term in office.
The relationship has become even stronger during Trump’s second presidency, with the two working together to plan a fight at the White House.
What initially appeared to be a throwaway remark during an America 250 event in Iowa has since materialised into one of the most ambitious spectacles in UFC history.
“We’re going to have a UFC fight, think of this, on the grounds of the White House,” Trump said in July 2025.
Despite the logistical concerns surrounding the proposal at the time, the event is now scheduled for 15 June under the name UFC Freedom 250, headlined by Ilia Topuria against Justin Gaethje.
