Adam Silver penned an editorial in the New York Times on Thursday arguing for the legalization of sports betting throughout the United States. Silver has previously stated he thought the legalization of gambling is ’inevitable’ due to so many states being in debt.
Adam Silver writes New York Times editorial in favor of sports betting
The NBA commissioner continued to voice his support for the legalization of sports gambling.
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Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
Silver cites a thriving black market estimated to bring in $400 million per year illegally. Silver previously argued he thought the legalization of gambling would help grow the NBA’s fanbase and make people more interested in the league.
Silver notes how times have changed since professional sports leagues supported the passage of the Congress of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 1992 that has essentially prohibited states from authorizing sports gambling. He writes:
Outside of the United States, sports betting and other forms of gambling are popular, widely legal and subject to regulation. In England, for example, a sports bet can be placed on a smartphone, at a stadium kiosk or even using a television remote control.
In light of these domestic and global trends, the laws on sports betting should be changed. Congress should adopt a federal framework that allows states to authorize betting on professional sports, subject to strict regulatory requirements and technological safeguards.
Silver ended his editorial by giving suggestions for regulation. Those include: “mechanisms to identify and exclude people with gambling problems,” mandatory age requirements and education about responsible gambling.
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