Sports Leagues Face Difficult Choice on Sports Betting

Photo by Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Key Takeaways
- NBA commissioner Silver has been questioned by a Congressional committee
- Rep. Tonko asked league leaders to support his SAFE Bet Act
- The OKC Thunder is looking to enter the sports betting industry
The biggest sports leagues in the US are about to face a critical decision on sports betting.
The NBA’s latest scandal has drawn increased attention from Congress, which is demanding answers from commissioner Adam Silver and officials from other leagues. Lawmakers have also reached out to leaders of different leagues in hopes of spurring action to prevent future scandals.
The increased scrutiny has also led to questions about the growing relationship between leagues and the sports betting industry. Now, it seems they will need to decide how to treat those relationships going forward.
Tonko Asks for Support of SAFE Bet Act
US Representative Paul Tonko believes he has the solution to growing concerns over sports betting. He has been pushing his SAFE Bet Act for well over a year now, which would create strict federal guidelines around the industry. The bill has been viewed as heavy-handed in the past, but Tonko hopes support from sports leagues can change that.
The lawmaker sent a letter to officials from the country’s top sports leagues earlier this week. It asked them to help support the controversial bill, which he believes will help prevent scandals like the one recently discovered in the NBA. If leagues refuse to do so, Tonko warned that they will bear full responsibility for future scandals.
Sports Betting Bringing in Big Money for Leagues
While the leagues are clearly concerned about the growing number of sports betting scandals involving players and staff, the solution may not be so easy.
Since PASPA was overturned almost eight years ago, sports leagues and teams have pursued partnerships with sportsbooks. Many now have “official betting partners” who pay big money for the right to advertise in-game and on TV.
That kind of extra revenue remains tempting to accept, as the Oklahoma City Thunder just proved. Just days after the FBI arrests of NBA coaches and players, the team shared its desire to enter the sports betting industry. They proposed a legal market for the state that would give them a share of the overall handle, as well as at least one mobile license.
Leagues Must Choose
As Tonko mentioned in his letter, the country’s sports leagues now face a crucial decision.
One option is to continue their foray into sports betting while seeking other solutions to protect the integrity of their sport. The extra revenue from sportsbooks could help fund initiatives to achieve that, but there is no guarantee they will work. If another scandal occurs and the league chooses this route, it could lead to a significant drop in fan support and more severe penalties from Congress.
The other option is backing the SAFE Bet Act, or other legislation that would crack down on the industry. This option likely results in sportsbook partnerships ending, stripping leagues of the extra revenue they generate. While this will lose money, it would protect the integrity of leagues and teams, and help avoid future punishment from angry lawmakers.
Michael is an avid sports fan and a veteran bettor from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He learned the trade from his grandfather in Las Vegas as a kid. As an adult, Michael started picking games for a small sports betting site and has built it into a career. His experience allows him to provide tips and information to help other bettors improve their game. Michael cheers for all Wisconsin pro teams, the Arizona State Sun Devils (his alma mater), and the Ottawa Senators. He specializes in baseball betting but has extensive experience in football, basketball, and hockey. When he isn’t pouring over stats, he’s spending time with his two young children or hiking and enjoying the outdoors.
Related News

Court Ruling on Sorsby Scandal Creates Nightmare for NCAA
A Texas court ruling will allow Brenden Sorsby to play for Texas Tech this upcoming season, despite placing over 1,000 wagers with online sportsbooks in the last four years. The ruling sets a dangerous precedent that could haunt the NCAA.

Illinois Lawmakers Approve New Tax for Sports Contracts
Illinois lawmakers have approved a budget that will add a new per-transaction tax on sports contracts. The tax was added despite the state not having legal authority to enforce it, and is likely to result in more lawsuits from the industry.

Arkansas Sees Record Handle After Sports Betting Expansion
Arkansas sports betting placed over $100 million in wagers in April, setting a new monthly record. The success came as FanDuel and DraftKings had its first full month in the market, though they didn’t contribute much tax revenue.

Rhode Island Approves Bally’s for Mobile Betting License
The Rhode Island Lottery has awarded Bally’s with a mobile betting license. It will launch in November, becoming the first new sportsbook to enter the market since 2019. However, lawmakers fear the state’s high tax rate will prevent future expansion.

Tennessee Tests CFTC By Stepping Up Fight Against Kalshi
Tennessee’s Attorney General has escalated its fight against Kalshi, arguing the operator is violating the state’s sports betting laws. A New Jersey judge allowed the operator’s platform to remain live, a decision the AG hopes an appeals court will overturn.

Polymarket Files With the CFTC to Launch Parlay Feature
Polymarket has filed with the CFTC to launch a new parlay-style feature for its sports markets. The move is meant to help it compete with Kalshi and mobile sportsbooks, and was made despite the tumultuous future facing the prediction industry.

North Carolina Lawamkers Consider Tax Hike for Sportsbooks
North Carolina lawamkers are reportedly considering a tax hike for sportsbooks as part of its upcoming budget. They are considering raising the current 18% rate by up to 12%, or adding a per-wager tax similar to the one in Illinois.

CFTC Sues Minnesota Over Its New Prediction Market Ban
The CFTC has filed a lawsuit against Minnesota over its new restrictions on prediction markets, which would ban markets involving sports and politics. The states’ new rules allow the state to file criminal charges against operators who violate them.

Wisconsin Tribes Set to Pick Up a Big Win Against Kalshi
A US District Judge has ruled that Wisconsin tribes have the right to sue Kalshi over sports prediction markets. While he rejected a request to force Kalshi out while their lawsuit is settled, he found the operator is likely violating IGRA.

Will Sportsbooks Look to Enter Wisconsin’s Mobile Market
Wisconsin has officially paved the way for tribal-run mobile sports betting, but fears remain that commercial operators won’t join. Find out the latest here!

Michigan Senate Strips Per-Wager Tax From Budget Proposal
The Michigan Senate passed the latest budget, but rejected a proposed per-wager tax for sportsbooks. Lawmakers from both parties worried the change would shrink the state’s sports betting market, despite the results seen from a similar tax in neighboring Illinois.

Flutter Ousters FanDuel CEO After Lowering 2026 Guidance
Flutter has removed Amy Howe as FanDuel’s CEO as it looks to invest more in prediction markets. President Christian Genetski will take over the role after playing a crucial role in the expansion of mobile betting in the US.

Are The Walls Closing in for the Prediction Industry
A recent bipartisan effort by attorneys general and an order in Texas have the prediction industry reeling as May begins. The two actions show the waning support for the controversial platforms, and could lead it to soften its stance going forward.

CFTC Expands Legal Fight Over Sports Prediction Markets
The CFTC has expanded its legal fight to protect prediction markets by suing New York and Wisconsin. The regulator claims both states have illegally targeted operators despite lacking any regulatory authority. Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois are also facing similar lawsuits.

New Zealand Racing Integrity Board Steps Up Online Gambling Focus
New Zealand’s Racing Integrity Board is preparing for a changing gambling market as online casino regulation moves ahead.

Ohio Considering Bill to Clamp Down on Prediction Industry
The Ohio Senate is considering a new bill that would require prediction platforms to be subject to the same regulations and taxes as sportsbooks. The proposal comes as the state’s gambling regulator, Kalshi, and the CFTC battle in court.

Oklahoma Rejects Sports Betting Bill, Sets Sights on 2027
A Colorado Senate committee has rejected part of a bill that would have banned prop bets, which were aimed at curbing problem gambling. Among the biggest reasons for the rejection was the projected financial impact on the state’s tax revenue.

Proposed Ban on Prop Bets Stripped From Colorado Bill
A Colorado Senate committee has rejected part of a bill that would have banned prop bets, which were aimed at curbing problem gambling. Among the biggest reasons for the rejection was the projected financial impact on the state’s tax revenue.

Judge Halts Arizona’s Criminal Case Against Kalshi
A US Court has issued a temporary restraining order for the CFTC against Arizona, forcing the state to halt its criminal prosecution of Kalshi. The Court confirmed an earlier ruling for Kalshi that its platform is protected by federal law.

Mobile Sports Betting is Officially Coming to Wisconsin
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has signed a bill that will create a tribal-centric mobile sports betting market. While his signature ends years of legislative deadlock, it has also raised concerns that commercial operators won’t join the new market.

Big Changes Are Coming to Kentucky's Sports Betting Market
Kentucky has officially passed a new bill that will significantly alter its sports betting market. Although Governor Beshear vetoed, the state legislature easily overrode it. It includes a ban on in-state college player props while raising the betting age to 21.

DraftKings, FanDuel Manage to Avoid Kentucky Crackdown
DraftKings and FanDuel used their political capital to help revise key proposals from a new Kentucky bill. The effort removed penalties for sportsbooks that offer prediction platforms, as well as a ban on the practice of limiting winning bettors.

Kalshi Confirms Status as Bookmaker in Trademark Filing
Kalshi’s trademark designates it as part of the sports betting industry, despite its denial of offering gambling. The operator said the move was insignificant because it would force the USPTO to accept that the industry class is relevant to Kalshi.

Wisconsin Mobile Betting Bill to Learn Its Fate This Week
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has promised a decision on online sports betting this week. While he has been supportive of online sports betting, he has refused to commit to signing the current effort, which would create a tribal-centric market.

CFTC Ramps Up Defense Of Sports Contracts With New Lawsuits
The CFTC has filed lawsuits against Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois over their legal attacks against sports prediction market operators. All three states have issued cease-and-desist letters to prediction operators, and Arizona has also filed criminal charges against Kalshi.

California Tribes to Pursue Legal Sports Betting in 2028
A powerful California tribal gaming group has announced plans to put sports betting on the ballot in 2028. Pressure from prediction markets led tribes to rethink legalizing the industry, though the effort will likely face strong opposition.

Kentucky House Passes Bill To Overhaul Its Betting Market
The Kentucky House just passed a bill that would overhaul its sports betting market, sending it to the Governor for his signature. It would make several changes, including for the minimum betting age, college player props, and prediction platforms.

US Senate Considering Proposal to Ban Sports Predictions
A new bipartisan bill has been introduced in the US Senate that would ban sports prediction markets at the federal level. If passed, it would amend the CEA to ensure that sports contracts would no longer be protected.

Mississippi Online Betting Bills Stall in Senate Committee
The Mississippi Senate Gambling Committee is stalling on two mobile betting bills over financial concerns. Doubts over projected tax revenue, as well as proposed cuts for casinos, led the committee chair to shelve both House bills to expand sports betting.

Kentucky Bill Risks Tax Revenue to Fight Prediction Industry
The Kentucky House has passed a bill to overhaul the state's sports betting market and crack down on prediction markets. It would raise the minimum betting age to 21 and force sportsbooks that offer prediction platforms to exit the market.

MLB and NCAA Offer Conflicting Statements Over Predictions
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and NCAA President Charlie Baker have issued conflicting statements over prediction markets this week. The former embraced the industry with a new partnership to help improve integrity monitoring, while the latter offers the opposite assessment.

Wisconsin Senate Votes in Favor of Mobile Sports Betting
The Wisconsin Senate voted to approve a bill to legalize mobile sports betting through tribal casinos. While many lawmakers remain concerned about the potential impact, they also acknowledged that mobile betting is already taking place in the state.

Nebraska Casinos Begin Effort to Legalize Online Betting
Nebraska casinos have been a signature-gathering effort to allow voters to decide on legalizing mobile sports betting. The move comes after Nebraska lawmakers failed to act, largely removing them from the process of creating a legal framework.

