A planned UFC card at the White House on June 14, 2026, will likely feature gambling advertisements. But who will take the center of the Octagon — so-called “prediction markets” or traditional sports gambling apps?
In recent months, Kalshi and Polymarket have seen their respective valuations balloon after the Commodity Futures Trading Commission controversially — and improperly, according to numerous states — enabled prediction-style nationwide online sports gambling. While sports gambling activity on the respective platforms is dwarfed by traditional online gambling apps like FanDuel and DraftKings, they are new disruptors in the space.
It’s a volatile time for the U.S. online sports gambling market, which reached $13.7 billion in 2024 and has continued its rapid growth in 2025.
Kalshi and Polymarket are both backed by Donald Trump Jr., though he has invested in only the latter and merely advises the former, according to reports and his statements.
In March 2021, the UFC and DraftKings announced a partnership, with ESPN reporting that the deal was for five years. The deal would expire ahead of the White House event, though it could be extended. Neither Kalshi nor Polymarket has a UFC partnership at the time of writing.
It’s conceivable that DraftKings, or another traditional sports gambling app, along with Kalshi and/or Polymarket, could have ads or logos at the UFC’s White House card. It would be the first time the rival products appear alongside each other at a sporting event.
It’s hard to imagine anyone being surprised by gambling ads appearing on TV monitors on the White House South Lawn. One could also foresee a scenario — albeit probably less likely — where a prediction betting site has a live odds ticker displayed on the South Lawn so viewers can see so-called real-time odds during a fight.
Normalization of Gambling at UFC White House
Online sports gambling is already mainstream (and UFC President Dana White is a prolific gambler). Nonetheless, the UFC’s White House card could be the biggest government stamp of approval yet for the controversial industry.
More than 30 states sanction online sports gambling, but so far the executive branch of the federal government hasn’t signaled its official endorsement. That could change.
A recent Pew Survey found that Americans increasingly view sports gambling as “bad for society.” The survey found that about half of young men see it this way. Negative public opinion, of course, would be an unlikely factor in a decision to promote gambling from the White House.
Academic research suggests that UFC fans are more prone to risk-seeking behavior, making them vulnerable to problem gambling and sports gambling addiction. A gambling event hosted on the White House lawn could exacerbate the risks for many fans.
Gambling Harm spoke to experts in MMA fan behavior about problem gambling risks related to the unprecedented sporting spectacle.
Emotional Engagement & UFC Betting
Dr. Dae Hee Kwak, director of the Center for Sport Marketing Research at the University of Michigan, sees public health concerns with the UFC’s White House card.
“A UFC event staged on the White House grounds would likely generate substantial media attention due to its novelty and the symbolic weight of the location,” Kwak told Gambling Harm. “Research has shown that MMA fans are typically younger, predominantly male, and exhibit higher sensation-seeking and risk-taking tendencies.”
Those characteristics closely overlap with the sport bettor profile, according to Kwak, who co-authored a 2010 study at Indiana University on the profile of MMA fans.
“Given the psychological profile of many MMA consumers, this type of event is likely to elicit strong emotional engagement from existing fans,” he added. “Such exposure may contribute to the normalization of high-risk betting behaviors, particularly among younger, digitally native males who are more susceptible to targeted marketing and promotional cues.”
Tywan Martin, an associate professor at the University of Miami, echoed Kwak’s perspective. He added that the value of a gambling advertisement during the UFC’s White House event would be on par with those during the NBA Finals or MLB World Series.
“High-risk-takers align themselves with the combat sports industry in general,” said Martin, who also wrote the MMA fan study.
“We have not done enough to protect the consumer,” Martin said of online sports gambling. “I know the government and these companies will rest on the fact that you don’t have to bet, but the messaging becomes so enticing and the psychology put into creating these messages—a lot of people are acting on these.”
Signs of a UFC Gambling Problem
It’s not too early for families, educators, and advocates to talk about UFC gambling ahead of the White House card.
The UFC and White House will promote the card as a patriotic show, potentially deepening emotional investment among viewers.
Of course, a gambling problem involving the UFC shares warning signs with other forms of sports gambling addiction. Still, issues with UFC gambling can be specific. Let’s look at a few.
- Split decisions, especially involving controversial scorecards, can trigger “tilt.”
- Gambling on undercard bouts despite not knowing anything about the participants can indicate a fear of missing out.
- Influencers encouraging reckless or heavy betting saturate the MMA gambling space.
- The UFC’s typical late-night hours often coincide with alcohol use and fatigue.
Bottom Line: UFC White House Betting
Various forms of sports gambling could be advertised directly from the White House South Lawn during the UFC White House event in June 2026.
Regardless of the format of the gambling, endorsement from the White House would mark the most significant and reckless government OK of the activity so far.
Combat sports draw in viewers who tend to be risk-seeking individuals, according to experts. The dynamic makes the UFC White House card even more concerning.
People concerned with problem gambling, especially among youth, should begin to have conversations today. White House-endorsed sports gambling doesn’t make it safe.
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