Will the NBA Be a Pioneer in Legalizing Sports Gambling?

While speaking at the Bloomberg Sports Business Summit in New York last week, NBA commissioner Adam Silver made some unexpected comments regarding the future of sports gambling in the United States.  Via Bloomberg.com, Silver said:

"It’s inevitable that, if all these states are broke, that there will be legalized sports betting in more states than Nevada and we will ultimately participate in that."

Silver also explained the logic for why he feels gambling might be good for the NBA:

"If you have a gentleman’s bet or a small wager on any kind of sports contest, it makes you that much more engaged in it. That’s where we’re going to see it pay dividends. If people are watching a game and clicking to bet on their smartphones, which is what people are doing in the United Kingdom right now, then it’s much more likely you’re going to stay tuned for a long time."

It’s a dramatic change of stance for the league, writes David Purdum of ESPN.com:

"[The NBA] in 2012 joined the NCAA, NFL, MLB and NHL in suing New Jersey over its efforts to bring legalized sports betting to its casinos and race tracks. During deposition testimony in the New Jersey case, former NBA commissioner David Stern scolded Gov. Chris Christie for his efforts. ‘The one thing I’m certain of is New Jersey has no idea what it’s doing and doesn’t care because all it’s interested in is making a buck or two,’ Stern said in November 2012, according to court documents. ‘They don’t care that it’s at our potential loss.’"

On Monday, Governor Christie issued a directive allowing New Jersey casinos and racetracks to begin offering sports betting.  A Wall Street Journal report by Josh Dawsey contains the following quote:

"The move is likely to be challenged by sports leagues that oppose gambling—and have previously defeated the Christie administration in court. It could also spark intervention from federal law enforcement authorities."

However, if Silver stays true to his words, the NBA is no longer one of these leagues.  Regarding his statement “we will ultimately participate in that,” at least as far as New Jersey is concerned, ‘ultimately’ may end up being a lot sooner rather than later.

What’s to stop a disgruntled point guard on a struggling team from plunking down a few grand in the locker room on the second-half line?

Silver’s point that fans are more interested in watching games they have wagers on is a good one–just ask anyone who’s ever played fantasy football or filled out an NCAA tournament bracket.  But what about the integrity of the league?

Imagine the possibilities if people can actually bet from their smartphones as Silver suggests?  What’s to stop a disgruntled point guard on a struggling team from plunking down a few grand in the locker room on the second-half line, then spending the third quarter tossing passes into the stands?

We’re still a long way away from that happening, however it’s worth paying attention to where the NBA goes from here on this issue.  Was Silver simply looking ahead and accepting the inevitable future, or might he actually push the league to advocate for legalized sports betting across the country?

And just for fun, consider this wacky scenario: What if the NBA somehow managed to become the only pro league Americans could legally bet on?   Basketball’s new-found popularity would blow other sports out of the water.