Dana White has never hidden his close ties with Donald Trump. But this time, the UFC CEO was not contacting the president to discuss fights, politics, or the upcoming UFC White House event. Instead, the head honcho said that he personally wrote Trump a letter asking him to reverse a controversial gambling tax provision that he believes could seriously hurt Las Vegas.
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Speaking with Nina Drama on her livestream, Dana White said that the issue centers around a new cap on gambling loss deductions included in Donald Trump’s signature tax bill.
Gamblers are no longer able to fully deduct their losses from their wins under the revised rule. The UFC CEO believes that the change makes no sense in a city built around casinos and tourism.
“I mean, obviously, I love this city,” he said. “I love here. I’m a bit of a gambler myself, and it’s great for the city. So, yeah, wrote a little note to the president; I asked him if he could help Las Vegas out.”
“So if you won, you always have to pay taxes on your winnings,” he added. No different than a lottery and everything else in life. But now they split this bill in where win, lose, or draw, you pay taxes. That’s madness. And it’s not good for the city. And I love this city.”
Nina Drama asks Dana White about the letter he wrote to Trump to reverse gambling tax law.
Previously, someone who won and lost the same amount in a year owed no taxes because the losses canceled out the winnings. Now, only 90% of losses can be deducted; thus, gamblers may still have taxable income even if they technically broke even or lost money overall.
“The current law makes it irrational to bet in the United States,” he wrote in the letter. “Because you could end up owing taxes even when you lose or having a tax bill that exceeds your winnings for the year.
“When legal betting is discouraged, it hurts the ecosystem we’ve spent years building in partnership with state regulators and licensed operators.”
Beyond the involvement of the UFC’s CEO, the situation has quickly gotten political. Nevada politicians from both parties have publicly supported efforts to reverse the rule, including Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and Senator Ted Cruz, who proposed legislation to undo it.
“It’s hurting players, our gaming and tourism industry, and the workers who count on them for their livelihoods,” Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto wrote on X. “I agree with Dana White; the president needs to join us and fix this now.”
And even though the traders’ prediction markets still doubt that the law will be repealed this year, Dana White’s public campaign moved betting odds the moment news of his letter became public. But he isn’t done with just fixing the gambling scene in the country, as the UFC CEO even asked his fighters to unionize if they feel underpaid in the promotion.
Dana White encourages UFC fighters to unionize
That comment stood out since Dana White has long been accused of opposing practically any serious discussion about fighter unions and collective bargaining.
So seeing him casually say he would surely encourage fighters to unionize surprised many fans, especially given how often fighter pay debates resurface whenever prominent UFC names leave the company unhappy over negotiations.
The topic resurfaced recently because of the contrast between what UFC fighters earn and the massive deals being handed out elsewhere. Dana White’s new boxing venture reportedly signed Conor Benn to a $15 million one-fight contract, while fighters such as Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones have previously left negotiations publicly frustrated over money.
Even Ronda Rousey has claimed time and again that financial disagreements played a role in why her UFC comeback versus Gina Carano never happened inside the UFC Octagon. Despite this, the head honcho appeared unfazed when asked about unions during his appearance on The Breakfast Club.
“Listen, there’s always going to be talk about fighter pay,” Dana White said. “I’m in boxing now, and all these guys, these boxers, are signing with us now too. So you’re always going to be criticized about something.
“We don’t act like it’s the enemy. If the fighters wanted to unionize, that’s up to them. It’s not up to me.”
Whether fans actually believe his recent statement is another matter entirely. After all, MMA has spent decades talking about fighter unions without ever building one strong enough to challenge the UFC system. However, hearing the sport’s most influential man explicitly state “that’s up to them” is still a rare event in a sport where fighter pay remains one of the most sensitive subjects possible.
