Since Adam Silver took over for David Stern as the commissioner of the NBA on February 1, 2014, he’s been a never-ending source of change. Whether it’s been an attempt to reform the draft lottery or a lifetime ban handed to a long-time owner, Silver has been at the center of major acts of change.
He isn’t slowing down.
In an op-ed piece in the New York Times, Silver wrote that he wants legalized and regulated sports betting on NBA games.
"BETTING on professional sports is currently illegal in most of the United States outside of Nevada. I believe we need a different approach.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."
This is a progressive stance from a commissioner who, in less than a year of governing, has been as active as any front-man in professional sports.
This may be his most radical, albeit popular, opinion yet.
In 1992, the four major American sports leagues supported Congress’ passage of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. The legislation, known as Paspa, generally outlaws states from authorizing sports betting.
As Silver acknowledged, that hasn’t stopped the gambling world from thriving.
"But despite legal restrictions, sports betting is widespread. It is a thriving underground business that operates free from regulation or oversight. Because there are few legal options available, those who wish to bet resort to illicit bookmaking operations and shady offshore websites. There is no solid data on the volume of illegal sports betting activity in the United States, but some estimate that nearly $400 billion is illegally wagered on sports each year.Times have changed since Paspa was enacted. Gambling has increasingly become a popular and accepted form of entertainment in the United States. Most states offer lotteries. Over half of them have legal casinos. Three have approved some form of Internet gambling, with others poised to follow."
Silver’s question is simple: why continue to fight what’s become commonplace in the world of professional sports?
Millions-to-billions of dollars will be wagered in sports betting every year—regardless of whether or not there are laws against it. There are.
Whether it’s online or through a bookie, massive amounts of people will invest in this risky business.
Even the biggest sports websites routinely link readers to the Vegas odds determined by a number of popular websites.
In Silver’s eyes, the only thing that outlawing sports betting achieves is creating a hurdle that people will readily step over.
Thus, the major reason for his support of this course of action is that people want to gamble safely and legally. Safety in sports betting is something of an oxymoron, but Silver believes that it’s an attainable goal if sports betting were to be regulated properly.
This would take a major federal overhaul, but the commissioner is committed to facilitating the process.