Commissioner Silver Talks Sports Betting on "Golic and Wingo" Radio Show
NBA leader Adam Silver Discusses Gambling in Sports on ESPN Radio Broadcast
Adam Silver, the NBA's Commissioner, joined "Golic and Wingo" on ESPN Radio recently, discussing the legalization of sports betting in the United States. Three years ago, Silver penned a famous op-ed in the New York Times, expressing his support for legal, regulated sports betting in the country.
Golic brought up Silver's op-ed, asking where the Commissioner stood now, three years later. In response, Silver mentioned that next week, the Supreme Court will be hearing arguments pertaining to the legality of a New Jersey state law that permits sports betting within the state boundaries. This means that the state of New Jersey has challenged the constitutionality of the federal law that restricts sports betting to just Nevada and a few other exceptions.
Initially, the NBA defended that law against Governor Christie. However, Silver's position now differs from his predecessor’s and is that they should regulate and legalize sports betting. His stance is not about being pro or against sports betting, but acknowledging that it occurs largely underground and hundreds of billions of dollars are wagered on sports each year in the US.
Silver emphasized that international soccer jurisdictions, particularly in Europe, have legal sports betting and it's closely regulated. They can monitor illegal activities, something that's not possible currently in the US. He acknowledged his differences with New Jersey in that he thinks there should be a federal policy, while states should have the power to elect whether they want to legalize sports betting. However, he expressed concerns about the monitoring and integrity of sports leagues if there are 50 states with differing regulations.
Silver also noted that things are moving faster than he ever expected regarding sports betting legalization. He commented that even if the Supreme Court leaves the federal law unchanged, there seems to be a lot of interest in Congress to address the issue. He suggested that states see this as an opportunity to regulate and collect tax revenue from sports betting.
Recently, it was reported that the NBA is in talks with New Jersey Representative Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-6) about a possible federal law, known as the GAME Act, that may create the sports betting framework Silver and the league desire. The legislation would regulate and monitor sports betting to maintain the integrity of the leagues and ensure consumer protection.
In summary, Silver advocates for a legalized and regulated sports betting environment, with oversight to bring the industry out of the shadows. The GAME Act could potentially provide the regulation framework that the NBA and Silver are looking for. Meanwhile, the basketball league is engaged in legal discussions regarding sports betting with the state of New Jersey. Stay tuned for more updates on the Supreme Court's decision on the sports betting case in the coming months.
- Adam Silver, the NBA's Commissioner, recently discussed the legalization of sports betting on "Golic and Wingo" radio show, expressing his support for legal, regulated sports betting.
- Three years ago, Silver penned an op-ed in the New York Times, advocating for legal sports betting in the United States, a stance he still maintains.
- Next week, the Supreme Court will hear arguments about the legality of a New Jersey state law that permits sports betting within the state boundaries, challenging the federal law that restricts sports betting.
- The NBA's position under Silver has shifted from defending the federal law against Governor Christie, now advocating for regulation and legalization of sports betting.
- Silver believes that legalization would bring sports betting out of the shadows, allowing for closer monitoring of illegal activities and ensuring consumer protection, a model evident in international soccer jurisdictions.
- The NBA is reportedly in talks with New Jersey Representative Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-6) about a possible federal law, known as the GAME Act, which would create a sports betting framework similar to what Silver and the league desire.
- With the Supreme Court's decision on the sports betting case coming months, there seems to be a lot of interest in Congress to address sports betting policy and legislation, potentially leading to further progress in the legalization of sports betting in the US.
