MLB doubles down on gambling with new Polymarket deal
MLB is expanding its involvement with gambling through a new partnership with Polymarket, despite recent scandals and a historical resistance to betting.Summary
Major League Baseball (MLB) is deepening its ties to the gambling world with a new partnership with Polymarket, a prediction market platform, despite a recent surge in gambling-related scandals involving players and staff. This move represents a significant shift for the league, which historically opposed gambling, particularly after the 1919 “Black Sox” scandal that led to the creation of the commissioner’s role to ensure integrity. Current Commissioner Rob Manfred has embraced gambling and prediction markets as they become legalized, arguing that the league can better control and protect the sport by actively engaging with these platforms. MLB claims partnerships, like the one with Polymarket and data sharing with MGM Sportsbook, allow for better monitoring of suspicious activity. However, this expansion coincides with increasing threats to players from gamblers, raising concerns about athlete safety and the true cost of MLB’s embrace of gambling, even as revenues from sports betting continue to climb.
(Source：The Conversation)