Legalized sports betting is spreading across America, with more and more states jumping on board the regulation train. Things have been moving very quickly since the federal ban was overturned in May 2018, with both leagues and teams getting involved in the gambling world. The NBA wants to take things one step further, however, by not only teaming up with betting brands as “official partners” but also changing its gambling policies, as well.
Expanding Current Gambling Rules
Currently, the NBA’s gaming rules are overseen by the security department. Professionals involved in the league are prohibited from betting, encouraging others to wager and using any “improper influence”.
As more and more states continue to open up their sports betting markets, it’s important for the NBA to reevaluate these rules. More opportunities for waging on sports are becoming available, and officials have plans to prevent the spread of problem gambling and fixing within the league.
Using the English Premier League as an Example
“We’re spending a lot of time learning from the mistakes that were made and what we’re seeing in sports betting in places around the world,” says NBA Commissioner Mark Tatum. “We’re trying to educate our fans. We’re educating our players and our teams. We’re taking a little bit of a cautious approach here”.
In the United Kingdom, sports teams and betting companies are very closely connected. After all, nearly half of the teams are sponsored by gambling operators and all stadiums feature betting kiosks. However, the English Premier League has managed to keep a pretty clean sheet when it comes to gambling scandals.
The league has very strict guidelines with regards to betting. Everyone involved in the EPL (including players, managers and club staff) are governed by stringent rules that prohibit them from gambling on any football matches around the world. There is even talk of banning the advertisement of sports betting and display of live odds during broadcasts, and these rules may soon apply to the NBA.
