Padres Infielder Marcano Facing Lifetime Ban for Sports Betting

It appears the MLB has its second betting scandal of the season.

It was released yesterday that Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano is facing a lifetime ban for betting on baseball. The 24-year-old came over from the Pirates in the offseason, where his alleged betting violations occurred. Reports are that Marcano wagered on games involving the Pirates while on the IL for the team. Sportsbooks flagged The wagers as suspicious, leading to the current accusation.

While Marcano could not influence the outcome of those games, MLB Rule 21 states that any player who bets on games involving their own team automatically receives a lifetime ban. While the MLB’s minor leagues have experienced some betting scandals, this would be the first at the big league level since Pete Rose in 1989. However, Rose was banned while serving as a manager, making Marcano potentially the first active player to receive a ban for betting since 1924.

"We are aware of an active investigation by Major League Baseball regarding a matter that occurred when the player in question was a member of another organization and not affiliated with the San Diego Padres. We will not have any further comments until the investigative process has been completed," the Padres said in a statement.

Nothing has been officially decided as of yet, but it seems likely the ban will soon be handed down.

Scandal Comes at Bad Time for Sports Betting

The timing of the Marcano scandal could not be worse for sports betting operators. They are facing calls for increased regulations nationwide, while Illinois set a new tax precedent that could further cut into bookmakers' revenue.

The fact that the scandal involved a player of a California team is not ideal either. The state has been struggling to gain momentum to legalize sports betting, and scandals like this will only make that more difficult going forward. 

Given that this is the league’s second betting scandal in the last three months, it could also result in the MLB making significant changes regarding sports betting. That could include removing in-stadium advertising, which several legislatures have begun calling for.

Whatever happens, this story will likely impact the future of sports betting in the US.