UFC Athlete Conduct Policy updated to prohibit fighters from betting on UFC matches

The UFC sent a letter on Monday to its athletes advising them that it updated its athlete code of conduct policy that will now prohibit them and their close associates from wagering on UFC events.

In the letter, Hunter Campbell, the UFC's chief business officer, writes "In order to assist our athletes in understanding their obligations under the laws of the majority of states in which sports betting is permitted, and in further support of these integrity measures, UFC has incorporated a wagering prohibition into the UFC Athlete Conduct Policy expressly prohibiting athletes from wagering on any UFC match."

Campbell told Yahoo Sports that athletes are still able to seek out sponsorships or deals as brand ambassadors from sports betting companies.

But as more states legalized sports betting, their regulatory bodies adopted policies that made it illegal for athletes to bet on their sports. Campbell said that many states with legalized sports betting have such a provision.

"As gaming has grown nationwide, we've been in contact with the overwhelming majority of regulatory bodies," Campbell told Yahoo Sports. "It has been made clear to us that a large percentage of regulatory bodies prohibit what they would consider inside betting with people who are active participants in the sports that they bet."

Though people have bet on sports for years, it's only in the last several years in the U.S. that it has become widely legal. Previously, it was only legal in Nevada. There is a concern that athletes could have information such as an injury or training techniques that could make it easier for them to be successful in betting.

They'll still be able to get their sponsorships, and the UFC wanted to be certain to not take money out of the athletes' pocket with this change. So the fighters can still serve as brand ambassadors and give out picks, if they so choose. They'll simply be prohibited from betting on UFC events.

Campbell's letter to the fighters said, "Many states also extend this prohibition to the athletes’ training teams, family members and others that have access to “inside information” relating to the athletes and their events. In some instances, violations of these prohibitions could result in criminal charges.The UFC’s contracted athletes are not exempt from these prohibitions, which state legislators and regulators have implemented for the purpose of maintaining the integrity of our sport."

The fighters aren't prohibited from betting on any other sports or from wagering on other MMA promotions.