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Leagues and Governing Bodies

Adam Silver Writes N.Y. Times Op-Ed To Call For Legalization Of Sports Betting In U.S.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver pens an op-ed in Friday's N.Y. TIMES under the header, "Legalize And Regulate Sports Betting" and notes the "laws of sports betting should be changed." Silver noted the NBA for more than two decades "has opposed the expansion of legal sports betting, as have the other major professional sports leagues." But in light of recent "domestic and global trends," Congress should "adopt a federal framework that allows states to authorize betting on professional sports, subject to strict regulatory requirements and technological safeguards." These requirements "would include: mandatory monitoring and reporting of unusual betting-line movements; a licensing protocol to ensure betting operators are legitimate; minimum-age verification measures; geo-blocking technology to ensure betting is available only where it is legal; mechanisms to identify and exclude people with gambling problems; and education about responsible gaming." Silver: "Let me be clear: Any new approach must ensure the integrity of the game. One of my most important responsibilities as commissioner of the NBA is to protect the integrity of professional basketball and preserve public confidence in the league and our sport. I oppose any course of action that would compromise these objectives. But I believe that sports betting should be brought out of the underground and into the sunlight where it can be appropriately monitored and regulated" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/14). USA TODAY's Adi Joseph noted Silver's op-ed comes after the league earlier in the week "announced an exclusive four-year deal" with daily fantasy gamer FanDuel. Silver's push for legalized gambling "falls in line with his previous comments." He said in '09 that he "viewed legalized sports gambling as inevitable, particularly because of the globalization of the NBA" (USATODAY.com, 11/13).

SERIOUS CHANGE OF STANCE: In N.Y., Scott Cacciola writes under the header, "In Sharp Pivot For NBA, Commissioner Backs Sports Betting" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/14). Also in N.Y., O'Leary & Abramson write Silver's push "seems like a 180-degree turnaround from his predecessor, David Stern" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/14). In Newark, Steve Politi writes, "It's a very telling stance. And, if you've followed the issue, it's a potential game changer." How do the NFL, MLB and NHL "continue to oppose New Jersey attempts to legalize gambling if one of the leagues supports the idea?" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 11/14). SPORTING NEWS' Micah Roberts notes the op-ed "should serve the sports betting industry well as states continue to litigate." Even if other pro leagues "move forward with their attempts to stop the tidal wave, Silver's quotes will go a long way to show the leagues are no longer unified in this ultimately futile fight" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 11/14).

SIGN OF THE TIMES: The AP's Jimmy Golen writes sports leagues are "realizing that rules written for the backroom bookies of a Marlon Brando film don't quite fit when gambling takes place on well-financed sites that come bearing multimillion dollar sponsorship checks." After decades of "strictly avoiding any form of gambling, the NFL in 2009 gave teams permission to sign licensing deals with state-sponsored lotteries." More recently, leagues have "embraced fantasy sports websites that allow fans to risk real money on what happens during their games -- but not on their outcomes." Not only do fantasy sports "keep fans interested, the sponsorship deals -- and, in the NBA's case, an ownership stake in FanDuel -- bring in cash for ever-thirsty leagues" (AP, 11/14).

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