NBA commissioner David Stern: Gambling is good
By COVERS.com STAFF | December 13, 2009 |
Could professional
basketball be the first of the major North American sports to embrace sports betting?
In a revealing interview with Sports Illustrated’s Ian Thomsen, NBA commissioner David Stern says the league is changing its perspective on gambling.
Thomsen asked Stern if it was in the NBA’s best interest to pursue the legalization of sports betting.
“It has been a matter of league policy to answer that question, ‘No,’ " he said. “But I think that that league policy was formulated at a time when gambling was far less widespread – even legally.”
Stern said the NBA, along with many other entities, is beginning to see legalized gambling in a different light.
“Considering the fact that so many state governments – probably between 40 and 50 – don’t consider it immoral, I don’t think that anyone [else] should. It may be a little immoral, because it really is a tax on the poor, the lotteries. But having said that, it’s now a matter of national policy: Gambling is good.
"So we have morphed considerably in our corporate view where we say, Look, Las Vegas is not evil. Las Vegas is a vacation and destination resort, and they have sports gambling and, in fact, there's a federal statute that gives them a monopoly of types [on sports betting]. And we actually supported that statute back in '92."
Several factors could have contributed to Stern’s warming on gambling.
Countries outside of the U.S. allow sports betting, including Canada where the Toronto Raptors play. Stern is interested in different partnerships outside the States to increase the global popularity of the NBA. Wagering on sports is legal in many European markets where
basketball fans are growing by the day.
Stern also softened his stance on NBA betting in Vegas casinos possessed by the Maloof family, who also own the Sacramento Kings. Stern originally insisted the Palms not offer any NBA betting but he switched recently, asking only that Sacramento games be removed from the board at the Palms sportsbook.
The fallout from the Tim Donaghy situation turned out to be not much more than a speed bump. The former NBA ref, who confessed to betting on games he officiated, released his book but his allegations haven’t crippled the league.
Ratings have actually increased in the two seasons since the Donaghy story originally broke.
Of course Delaware sports bettors haven’t forgotten Stern’s partnership with the
NFL,
MLB,
NHL and NCAA this fall. The sports leagues’ law suit prevented single game betting and forced Delaware to run a parlay lottery system instead.
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