— UFC News (@UFCNews)
September 6, 2023
The UFC is taking further steps to prevent those associated with
the promotion from betting on its fights.
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The Las Vegas-based organization announced on Tuesday that it has
partnered with ProhiBet, a program launched earlier this year that
monitors prohibited bettor activity. According to a release,
ProhiBet’s utilizes an advanced notification platform that is
“designed to safeguard sports integrity and ensure adherence to
state-specific regulations.” In this case, the program will monitor
“UFC athletes, coaches, employees and officials who are prohibited
from placing bets on UFC events.”
ProhiBet is able to monitor compliance using “an encrypted
decentralized cross-monitoring and notification platform.”
“We are thrilled to partner with UFC — the combination of
ProhiBet’s state-of-the-art encrypted data transfer system and
UFC’s dedication to upholding the integrity of sports will
undoubtedly enhance the transparency and trustworthiness of sports
betting activities,” said ProhiBet managing director Matt Heap, who
was previously the head of the Colorado Division of Gaming’s
sportsbook operations.
The partnership is an “expansion of the UFC’s relationship with
U.S. Integrity to strengthen its compliance policies.” Earlier this
year, the promotion
partnered with U.S. Integrity while modifying its internal
wagering policy to prohibit “UFC Insiders” from betting on
fights.
The crackdown on betting comes on the heels of an ongoing FBI
investigation launched due to suspicious activity surrounding a
bout between Darrick
Minner and Neurdanbieke Shayilan in 2022. What ensued was a
full-blown gambling scandal that resulted in Glory MMA &
Fitness coach James
Krause — a well-known figure in the MMA gambling world who was
revealed to have worked for an offshore bookmaking operation —
being essentially blackballed from the UFC.
According to ESPN, fighters will receive a compliance video on
sports betting from U.S. Integrity. In the video, a photo of Krause
appears with a graphic stating that U.S. Integrity “identified a
potential illegal betting ring organized by a prominent MMA
trainer.”
Fighters who bet on themselves are also addressed in the video,
using the specific example of UFC talent Dennis
Buzukja, who wagered on himself ahead of an appearance on Dana
White’s Contender Series.
„In many instances, these fighters did not realize they were not
only violating state regulations, but also state laws by wagering
on their own event,” the video states.
The video also provides further details on who might fall into the
category of prohibited bettors.
These prohibited insiders can be a coach, manager, handler,
athletic trainer, medical professional staff, relative living in
the same household as an athlete and/or any person with access to
non-public information regarding participants in any match,” it
states.