Can UFC’s Dana White Save the Poker Profession from Gambling Tax Policy?

New playing tax legal guidelines in the US have some skilled poker gamers involved about the way forward for their careers. However a celeb with an in depth relationship to President Donald Trump is making an attempt to repair the issue.

Dana White, the CEO and President of the UFC, wrote President Trump a letter asking the second-term Republican to make one small change to the One Massive Stunning Invoice Act (OBBA) that might impression quite a few gamblers, together with poker gamers.

Dana White to the Rescue?

White, a gambler identified to wager hundreds on blackjack palms in Las Vegas, wrote Trump to “increase a difficulty” the 2 have mentioned previously. That situation is the 90% tax restrict People, beginning this 12 months, can report as playing losses once they file 2026 taxes subsequent April.

The UFC boss is asking the president to step in and reverse the brand new tax coverage and permit skilled gamblers to deduct all losses. It is unclear if White, who will host a UFC occasion on the White Home garden this summer season, may have sufficient affect to drag it off. However the two are pals, so his request could not damage.

“I imagine Congress ought to repair this situation because the coverage is already creating issues. The present regulation makes it irrational to wager in the US since you might find yourself owing taxes once you lose or having a tax invoice that winnings for the 12 months,” White wrote.

White continued to clarify that the coverage will not solely impression playing taxpayers, and it might damage these within the service business who depend on suggestions. The UFC president wrote that “now that this 90 % limitation exists gamblers are prone to be much less beneficiant in the event that they even gamble in any respect.”

The playing tax coverage was snuck into the OBBA, and even some Republican lawmakers did not catch it earlier than voting on the invoice, Trump’s signature tax overhaul. Trump signed the invoice into regulation on July 4, 2025.

Skilled gamblers within the U.S. can now solely deduct 90% of losses. So, even when a gambler has a shedding 12 months, they will nonetheless be on the hook for paying some taxes on these losses. This has led to some longtime match grinders akin to Erik Seidel to reduce the quantity of play.

Seidel, a 10-time World Collection of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner and Poker Corridor of Famer, is certainly one of many poker gamers who’ve spoken out in opposition to the playing tax coverage. White, who invitations Trump to all UFC occasions, simply is perhaps the one particular person, given his love of playing and President Trump, to get rid of the coverage. Even Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a Trump ally and poker fan, has mentioned he opposes taxing playing losses.