Dana White Urges Trump to Repeal Gambling Tax Provision

UFC President Dana White has asked President Trump to help rescind the gambling provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The bill allows gamblers to deduct only 90% of losses, as opposed to the 100% allowed before the bill became law on Jan. 1.

Poker players were the first to shed light on the issue, with high-stakes pro Erik Seidel saying the bill put him into semi-retirement. White, who has a relationship with the president and also supports the Big Bill overall, is now urging Trump to take action on the gambling aspect of the law. “I believe Congress should fix this issue, as the policy is already creating problems,” White wrote. “The current law makes it irrational to be in the United States because you could end up owing taxes even when you lose or having a tax bill that exceeds your winnings for the year.”

White said the effects on the gaming industry could have a negative impact on Trump’s “no tax on tips” aspect of the law. That portion of the bill was meant to help hourly workers, like those at Nevada casinos. White said reduced gambling tourism numbers could mean reduced wagers for those employees. “Beyond that, the change has knock-on effects for businesses like mine,” White wrote. “The UFC supports a healthy, legal sports betting market to drive fan engagement, broadcast value, and sponsorships. When legal betting is discouraged, it hurts the ecosystem we’ve spent years building in partnership with state regulators and licensed operators. It also undercuts the transparency and integrity protections that legal betting provides for professional sports.”