Dana White is pushing President Donald Trump to revisit a playing tax provision tucked contained in the just lately handed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” including one other high-profile voice to a rising bipartisan marketing campaign in Washington.
In a Could 11, 2026 letter to the White Home, the UFC president thanked Trump for supporting the sweeping laws earlier than turning to a tax change now dealing with heavy criticism from the gaming business and several other members of Congress. The supply limits playing loss deductions to 90%, changing the longstanding rule that allowed bettors to completely deduct losses towards winnings.
“I write as we speak to boost a difficulty we have now mentioned prior to now: the necessity to reverse the 90 % restrict on gaming loss deductions for US taxpayers included within the OBBBA,” White wrote.
The tax change was scheduled to take effect for the 2026 tax year and has turn out to be probably the most disputed sections of the spending bundle. Business teams and lawmakers argue the rule may go away some gamblers paying taxes regardless of ending the 12 months with internet losses.
UFC CEO Dana White provides to playing tax stress mounting in Congress towards Trump invoice
White warned that the present construction may discourage authorized wagering and weaken the regulated sports activities betting market that states have spent years constructing after the autumn of the federal sports activities betting ban.
“The present regulation makes it irrational to guess in america since you may find yourself owing taxes even once you lose or having a tax invoice that exceeds your winnings for the 12 months,” the letter states.
He additionally tied the difficulty on to the enterprise aspect {of professional} sports activities and leisure, the place authorized sportsbooks have turn out to be main promoting and sponsorship companions.
“Past that, the change has knock-on results for companies like mine,” White wrote. “When authorized betting is discouraged, it hurts the ecosystem we’ve spent years constructing in partnership with state regulators and licensed operators.”
Nevada lawmakers shortly lined up behind the trouble. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto mentioned she launched bipartisan laws geared toward restoring the complete deduction and described the present coverage as “nonsense.”
Consultant Dina Titus thanked White publicly for including stress on the administration, whereas Consultant Steven Horsford once more promoted his proposed “FULL HOUSE Act” because the clearest legislative repair.
The talk has already surfaced repeatedly in Congress. Earlier makes an attempt to reverse the deduction cap stalled throughout negotiations surrounding the bigger finances invoice, however supporters say stress has intensified as casinos, sportsbooks, and tax consultants warn about unintended penalties.
The American Gaming Affiliation additionally backed White’s intervention, saying the business fears bettors may migrate towards offshore platforms that function outdoors U.S. regulation and taxation.
White closed the letter by presenting the difficulty as each an financial and political take a look at for the administration.
“Fixing this deduction concern would ship a robust sign that america helps commonsense regulation,” he wrote. “You’ve at all times stood up for fighters, followers, and American companies. That is one other alternative to do precisely that.”
Featured picture: Andrius Petrucenia through WikiCommons / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Grok
