Each Friday, The Harmdown will give you a recap of the week’s news in the world of gambling-related consumer protection and addiction prevention and treatment, as well as relevant gambling industry news.
Guardians pitchers indicted for allegedly rigging specific pitches – DOJ
Why it matters: Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted for allegedly conspiring with gamblers to rig individual pitches. Prosecutors say the scheme, which allegedly began in 2023, generated about $500,000 in illicit winnings. Ortiz and Clase, a multiple-time All-Star on a $20 million contract, could be banned for life. It’s unclear if addiction played a role in the case.
NFL intends to prohibit props determined by a single player – NFL Network
Why it matters: The NFL has told teams and players it intends to work with state gambling regulators and its sportsbook partners to eliminate or severely restrict “single-player, single-play” prop bets, such as wagers on the outcome of a quarterback’s first pass or a kicker’s next field-goal attempt. The NFL called recent gambling scandals impacting the NBA and MLB “corrosive.” A growing number of Americans appear to believe the NFL is rigged. Unfortunately, offshore sportsbooks would still offer these banned bets.
FanDuel to launch ‘prediction’ betting product in December – PR Newswire
Why it matters: In states without legal sports betting, FanDuel, along with rival DraftKings, plan to offer sports betting through the CFTC route. It’s a controversial move to bypass state regulation in states such as California, Texas, Florida, and Georgia, where FanDuel does not offer its traditional betting app. It could put pressure on states without legal online sports betting to authorize it, despite its harmful effects and high addiction rates.
MA becomes sixth state to warn licensees over ‘prediction’ gambling – MGC
Why it matters: The Massachusetts Gaming Commission warned sports betting licensees against offering so-called “prediction” gambling products in the state. “The Commission may take steps up to and including revocation of your license,” regulators warned. They also said similar violations in other states could result in adverse regulatory action in Massachusetts.
NJ charges 14 for illegal NCAA-related gambling – NJ Attorney General
Why it matters: New Jersey charged 14 people, including an alleged Lucchese crime family soldier and several college athletes, in a multimillion-dollar illegal sports betting ring that used offshore websites to handle about $2 million between 2022 and 2024. The case highlights how NCAA athletes are still involved in illegal bookmaking even in a state with legal sports wagering.
UFC partners with Polymarket amid match-fixing probes – UFC
Why it matters: Despite multiple ongoing investigations into suspected match-fixing, the UFC and Polymarket, a so-called “prediction market” betting platform, announced a marketing-related partnership. The partnership follows Polymarket’s similar deal with the NHL announced last month, which the American Gaming Association slammed.
Massachusetts lawmaker apologizes for ‘yes’ vote on sports betting – LSR
Why it matters: More and more state policymakers across the country want to implement guardrails on what they say is an out-of-control sports betting industry. However, it’s rare for a lawmaker to publicly apologize for a vote years prior that legalized online sports betting. Massachusetts Sen. John Keenan did just that at a hearing on Nov. 13, saying, “I deeply regret my vote and I want to publicly apologize.” He’s the sponsor of legislation that includes provisions similar to those in the federal SAFE Bet Act.
Wisconsin moves closer to online sports betting – States Newsroom
Why it matters: Wisconsin could be the first state to legalize online sports betting in 2025, a year that has marked stagnation for pro-industry policy efforts. Missouri legalized sports betting before 2025 but will launch apps in December. Wisconsin already has retail sports betting at tribal casinos. Critics of Wisconsin’s plan point to growing gambling addiction.
Study: Nearly 30% of gambling patients quit after one session – Springer Nature
Why it matters: Retention is a challenge in gambling treatment. Findings from a study by researchers in Australia and New Zealand underscore the need for tailored retention strategies, particularly early in treatment, such as brief motivational interventions. Researchers said the study was among the first to explore gambling treatment retention using real-world data.
Florida bill would put restrictions on fantasy sports betting – FL House
Why it matters: Florida does not currently regulate daily fantasy sports, a form of online sports betting that can mimic prop bets. These platforms could be circumventing the current framework designed to grant the Seminole Tribe exclusive rights to online sports betting in Florida under the 2021 gaming compact. Florida’s interest in addressing DFS appears to be more about protecting its revenue received from the Seminoles than about consumer protection. The tribe’s Hard Rock Bet has been pushing the boundaries on what is legal under the law, recently converting a sports betting product into essentially an online slot machine.
Gov. Mike DeWine softens his anti-prop bet position – Cleveland.com
Why it matters: Earlier in 2025, Gov. DeWine, a Republican, called for a complete ban on all player props, collegiate and professional. He has softened his stance significantly in recent months and supports banning certain props that he believes are more susceptible to corruption. DeWine’s proposed total prop ban would have applied only to Ohio-licensed sportsbooks, while offshore sportsbooks and prediction-style sportsbooks would still offer these types of wagers.
Ontario’s online gamblers could bet against people outside Canada – CBC
Why it matters: The Ontario Court of Appeal has ruled that the province’s regulated online gambling platforms can legally allow gamblers in the province to play with people outside of Canada. Critics in Canada reportedly warned that it “could lead to the further proliferation of illegal online gambling in the jurisdictions in which they operate.” The court ruling comes as the Canadian Parliament looks to rein in pervasive and allegedly dangerous online gambling advertising coming out of Ontario.
Bookmaker’s paperwork blunder shows possible offshore betting – The Guardian
Why it matters: An accidental disclosure by an unnamed bookmaker reportedly shows how difficult it is for the UK Gambling Commission to uncover illegal offshore betting unless companies suspected of offering illicit bets “stumble into incriminating themselves.” We can expect more news out of this story.
Texas man charged for death threats to Louisville football team – Gambling Harm
Why it matters: We lack national data on sports betting-related threats across professional and collegiate sports, but the issue appears to be growing. Just a month after the former manager of the San Diego Padres said he was retiring in part due to gambler threats, the Louisville football team allegedly received “terroristic” threats from a Texas man from a politically-connected family. A recent U.S. News survey found that 21% of bettors admit to verbally abusing athletes.
Former NBA player Randy Livingston opens about up gambling addiction – Star Tribune
Why it matters: Randy Livingston spent his decade-long NBA career and many years afterward in the grip of a severe gambling addiction. He said he lost his earnings gambling, hitting rock bottom and entering treatment in 2017. He has since been in recovery and now speaks publicly and courageously about his gambling problem to warn others.
Controversial sweepstakes casinos undergo rebranding after CA ban – SGLA
Why it matters: California recently criminalized so-called “sweepstakes” casinos and sportsbooks, dealing a massive blow to controversial dual-currency platforms. It appears sweepstakes operators are tweaking their public relations in response to a growing nationwide crackdown. At the time of writing, New York was also nearing a ban similar to California’s.
Pro-gambling interests struggling to gain traction in Texas – Texas Tribune
Why it matters: Texan John Huffman was the best-funded candidate in the Senate District 9 special election thanks to $3.5 million from casino interests, but he failed to make the runoff. The Texas Senate, led by longtime gambling opponent Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, “remains a seemingly insurmountable obstacle for supporters of legalized gambling.” Meanwhile, so-called “prediction market” sports betting sites approved by the federal government target Texas.
Teen problem gambling summit held in the Twin Cities – KARE 11
Why it matters: The Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling made young adults the focus of its annual conference, at a time when gambling problems are soaring in the U.S. Minnesota is in the minority of states without legal online sports betting, but it has considered legislation. One bill called for the nation’s first “red flag” laws for betting.
Turkey FA suspends 1,000+ individuals in betting probe – BBC
Why it matters: Allegations in Turkey claim that out of 571 referees in Turkey’s professional football leagues, 371 had betting accounts and 152 were actively placing wagers. Sports integrity in the U.S. appears to be worsening with scandals in the NBA, UFC, and MLB, but at least it’s not as bad (that we know of) as Turkish football.
Robinhood to offer controversial AI startup fund for stock bettors – Gambling Harm
Why it matters: Robinhood, the widely used meme stock and cryptocurrency betting app, is under fire for plans to allow “normal people” to make wagers on A.I. industry startups at a time when observers say there’s a bubble. Robinhood also allows sports betting on its platform under a partnership with Kalshi and CFTC approval.
Kalshi removes mentions of ‘NCAA’ in response to org’s demand – @dan_bernstein_
Why it matters: The controversial betting platform Kalshi and the NCAA have no relationship for marketing, advertising, or data, yet Kalshi has mentioned the NCAA by name in its official market rules. The NCAA asked Kalshi to make it clear to its users that there is no relationship, and in response, Kalshi tweaked its rules language. It appears to be a shallow gesture.
ESPN host sorry for promoting gambling app – @minakimes
Why it matters: Multiple ESPN personalities, including Stephen A. Smith, Mina Kimes, Dan Orlovsky, Kendrick Perkins, and Laura Rutledge, have endorsed an allegedly deceptive solitaire gambling app. Kimes publicly apologized for the endorsement and claimed she didn’t know about the allegations against the product. The scandal highlights the risks of so-called “skill” gaming apps that advertise as human-versus-human competitions.
CA tribes suffer early defeat in court fight against Kalshi – @akhoya87
Why it matters: California tribes seeking to block the sports betting platform Kalshi from taking bets in the Golden State lost their first major legal skirmish when a federal judge in San Francisco denied their request for a preliminary injunction. The ruling means Kalshi (and its Robinhood partnership) can continue offering and marketing its so-called “sports-event contracts” in California for now, while the broader lawsuit over IGRA violations and allegedly misleading “legal in all 50 states” claims moves forward.
DraftKings, FanDuel to withdraw from NV in row over prediction products – NGCB
Why it matters: DraftKings and FanDuel are pulling out of Nevada’s sports betting market after regulators accepted FanDuel parent Flutter’s surrender of its licenses and approved DraftKings’ withdrawal of all pending sports wagering applications. The moves underscore a growing clash between state gambling regulators and so-called prediction markets.
MLB’s betting partners to cap pitch-level microbets at $200 – MLB.com
Why it matters: The league said it reached an agreement with its “sportsbook partners” to limit bets on whether a single pitch would be a ball or strike to $200. MLB also said these bets would be excluded from parlays. These changes could be effective at reducing the likelihood of corruption of these pitch-level markets. From a problem gambling perspective, this could be a meaningless measure. Gambling $200 on a pitch is a considerable sum for most people.
Kalshi releases poll that purportedly shows support – @VictorRocha1
Why it matters: The “prediction” platform Kalshi released a survey that purportedly showed public support regarding its version of sports betting. Critics ridiculed the findings, which some say weren’t even that positive for the company that has been accused of illegal gambling in New York.
PrizePicks links with Polymarket, Kalshi for ‘predictions’ product – PR Newswire
Why it matters: PrizePicks, which was recently singled out by the Better Business Bureau in a report related to hundreds of consumer complaints, has expanded its betting offerings. The Atlanta-based company is following the trend of throwing its hat into the so-called prediction markets business. PrizePicks, which says it’s the leading DFS company in the U.S., announced that it launched its Kalshi-powered prediction markets product on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025.
Have a news tip or a recommendation for something we can include in a future edition of The Harmdown? Please contact brian@gamblingharm.org
Please reach out with any comments or concerns. Have a great weekend!