MLS issues ‘lifetime bans’ to former Columbus Crew players

Legalized sportsbetting in the United States has drastically changed the way that sports are covered and how fans interact with/ watch their favorite teams and players. However, an unfortunate consequence of the removal of barriers to sportsbetting is that bad-faith gamblers can attempt to coerce players into manipulating games

In an attempt to prohibit this from happening, leagues and associations have strict “no-gambling” policies for their athletes when it comes to betting on one’s own sport, and violating these results in the harshest of consequences.

That’s just what happened in the MLS, where two players, Derrick Jones and Yaw Yeboa, have been handed lifetime bans from the league after being put on administrative leave by the league in October of 2025.

The law firm Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP found that Jones and Yeboa both “engaged in extensive gambling on soccer, including on their own teams, during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.”

“Major League Soccer remains steadfast in its commitment to match integrity,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said in a statement.

“The league will continue to enforce its policies, enhance education efforts, and advocate for the elimination of yellow card wagering in all states to protect the integrity of our competition for clubs, players, and fans.”

Jones and Yeboa were teammates on the Columbus Crew, and the club released a statement condemning the actions.

“The Crew — who strictly adhere to all MLS policies on educating and enforcing sports gambling regulations with team personnel — fully cooperated with the league since first learning about the inquiry regarding the players in question,” the statement read.

Hopefully, this is the last violation of gambling policies the league has to deal with this year, and the integrity of the sports we all love can be upheld.