NBA to lobby US Congress to legalize sports wagering

Dan Spillane, vice-president and assistant general counsel at the NBA, unveiled the league’s plans at the Sports Betting USA conference in New York this week, saying, “Our general position on sports betting is that it should be legal and regulated, pursuant to a federal framework that has minimum safeguardds. We have advisors in DC, we have legislation that we’ve been pulling together, talking with other stakeholders in this area. It’s a slow process… When the leagues were all just unanimously opposed to it, it really wasn’t, I think, a practical discussion to have, and now it is… I think that there will be a little bit more clarity, and people will be more open, especially members of Congress, to talking about potential legislation once the [NJ] case is resolved one way or another.”

Spillane also said that the NBA has legislation it is pulling together with its commissioner Adam Silver, who has “jump-started” the conversation.

Speaking in July of this year, Silver said he was confident that sports betting would be legal across the country within “the next few years”, saying such activities result in “enormous additional engagement with the fans”.

The statement comes as New Jersey is challenging the federal 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which makes it unlawful for governmental entities to sponsor, operate, advertise, promote, licence or authorize betting, gambling or wagering schemes that are based on games played by amateur or professional athletes.

The US Supreme Court is set to hear New Jersey’s argument early next month.