Betting on yellow cards leads MLS to ban Derrick Jones and Yaw Yeboah.
Major League Soccer has asked sports betting companies to remove yellow and red card betting markets from their platforms. The request comes after the league banned Derrick Jones and Yaw Yeboah, former Columbus Crew players. MLS believes this type of betting poses a high risk to the integrity of the competitions.
The league's decision came after an investigation revealed the involvement of the two former players in betting related to cards during matches. Jones received a yellow card warning in October 2024, in a game where both players had bet that he would be penalized.
The MLS investigation indicated that Jones and Yeboah bet on Jones receiving a yellow card. According to the league, the players "likely shared confidential information with other bettors about their intention to provoke yellow cards."
Columbus Crew released an official statement criticizing the participation of former roster members in sports betting. "We strongly condemn all actions and ideas that are not aligned with these core values of our club, as well as any individual activity that contradicts the principles of fair competition, fundamental to our team, league, and sport," the Ohio team's official statement said.
The investigation found no evidence that the outcome of the match was altered by the players' bets. The ban on the athletes and the MLS's request to the betting operators occurred in 2026.
It is still unclear whether Jones and Yeboah will face criminal charges related to the case.
MLS maintains partnerships with the betting industry. The league was the first major sporting competition in North America to enter into an agreement with the betting industry, through a marketing partnership with Polymarket, a global cryptocurrency-based prediction marketplace.
Carter Ladd, MLS Senior Vice President of Business Development, explained the league's stance on commercial partnerships. "We want to be seen as a progressive league and offer our clubs an appropriate level of flexibility," the executive stated.
“We don’t want to be restrictive. We want to empower them in a positive way, and that’s why we’re taking this measure. We firmly believe this will help generate new revenue,” Ladd added.
The case reinforces the risks associated with the expansion of online sports betting and so-called exotic betting, according to experts.
Other North American sports leagues have already recorded similar cases. In the NBA, players like Jontay Porter and Terry Rozier have faced investigations related to betting. Porter was criminally charged.
