U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and UFC CEO and President Dana White during UFC 327 at Caseya Center on April 11, 2026 in Miami, Florida.
Julia Demaree Nickinson | Julia Demarie Nikinson Getty Images
UFC President Dana White has sent a letter to President Donald Trump imploring him to repeal the provisions of his signature tax law.
According to the letter, which was first reported by an independent journalist, White asked the president to repeal the 90% cap on gambling loss deductions approved as part of the “big, beautiful bill.” ESPN reported that the group independently confirmed the authenticity of the letter.
Traders at prediction market platform Kalsi don’t think the law will be repealed this year, but White’s letter has significantly swayed their predictions. After the letter was first reported, the odds that the cap would be lifted this year rose from 20% to 37%. It has since returned to 29%.
This provision limits the amount that a taxpayer can deduct from taxable gambling winnings. Previously, if you won $5,000 gambling and lost $5,000, no taxes were due. Currently, taxpayers can only deduct $4,500, leaving them with $500 of their taxable winnings.
In his letter, White praised President Trump’s tax law but said this provision in the package was already causing problems.
“Current laws make it irrational to place bets in the U.S. because you could end up paying taxes even if you lose or are charged more than your winnings for the year,” he wrote, according to a screenshot of the letter. “A ban on legal gambling would undermine the ecosystem we have spent years working with state regulators and licensed operators to build.”
The Tax Foundation think tank said the changes were included to help the tax law meet procedural rules in the U.S. Senate, meaning the entire package could be approved with only Republican votes.
In a statement, the American Gaming Association praised White for elevating the seriousness of the issue. Politicians in Nevada, the home state of the UFC, praised the letter. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) is introducing a bill with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to repeal the provision.
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