(Bloomberg) — Major League Baseball’s stern rules on sports gambling — and its deepening relationship with the betting industry — are in the spotlight after Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter was fired amid allegations of theft.
On Wednesday, ESPN reported that $4.5 million from Ohtani’s bank account was wired to an illegal sportsbook that’s the subject of a federal probe. A spokesperson for Ohtani initially said that he transferred the money to cover gambling debts for his friend and longtime interpreter. But a law firm representing him subsequently disavowed that account, saying the interpreter committed a “massive theft.” ESPN reported that the interpreter placed bets on several sports, but not Major League Baseball.
MLB’s restrictions on gambling, known as Rule 21, call for a lifetime ban if a player bets on his own games and one-year ban for wagering on other baseball games. But the league doesn’t prohibit players from betting on other sports. And placing a wager on any sport with an illegal bookmaker is not permitted. For such bets, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred can hand down punishment as he deems appropriate.
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Ohtani has not been accused of betting, and according to an MLB official, the league learned of about Ohtani’s interpreter from media reports and has not been contacted by federal investigators. The league said Friday that it had begun a formal investigation. The Dodgers confirmed that Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, has left the team and declined to comment further.
The scrutiny over Ohtani and his interpreter comes as professional sports have jumped at the opportunity to make money from sportsbooks since a 2018 US Supreme Court ruling paved the way for the expansion of legal betting to roughly three dozen states. MLB has league-wide sponsorships deals with FanDuel and BetMGM. Teams have also struck deals with betting firms, in some cases adding…
