NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is frequently mentioned as having a role in the loosening of legal sports betting regulations in the United States. Ten years after he openly voiced his backing for regulated sports betting only nine months into his tenure as the fifth commissioner of the professional basketball league, Silver claims he feels no remorse about being a pioneer in the movement to permit Americans to wager on sports. 

In November 2014, Silver penned an op-ed for The New York Times called, “Legalize and Regulate Sports Betting.” In the editorial, Silver stated that a regulated sports betting framework would enhance the protection of the integrity of professional and college sports, since the betting activities could be monitored more effectively than with illegal bookmakers.

"Sports betting is widespread. It is a thriving underground business that operates free from regulation oversight,” Silver wrote in 2014. “Because there are few legal options available, those who wish to bet resort to illicit bookmaking operations and shady offshore websites.”

Today, 38 states along with Washington, DC, have legalized sports betting. 

Silver Considers Sports Betting Initiative 

Sports betting appears to be omnipresent now, featuring stadium advertisements for sportsbooks and television ad breaks overflowing with celebrities and athletes touting the simplicity of winning through sports gambling. Critics argue that the nation’s launch of sports betting was poorly planned, with some urging Congress to establish a national framework for consumer protection. 

In a discussion with the Associated Press, Silver mentioned that although “you can’t turn back time,” he has no regrets about penning the op-ed or being the first among the “big four” pro sports commissioners to endorse legal sports wagering.

"As I said at the time, with the advent of the internet, widely available sports betting online, we had to deal directly with technology and recognize that if we don’t legalize sports betting, people are going to find ways to do it illegally,” Silver said.

Silver, naturally, did not solely introduce sports betting into a legal framework. The adjustment occurred through the US Supreme Court, which in May 2018, decided that a federal law restricting single-game sports betting to Nevada was unconstitutional. 

National Structure 

While the chances of its passage are slim, US Rep. Paul Tonko (D-New York) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) support a federal bill aimed at establishing regulatory safeguards for states allowing sports betting. The proposed regulations entail a prohibition on sports betting advertisements from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and mandates that sportsbooks perform “affordability checks” for bettors placing significant bets. 

Silver expresses his support for the implementation of federal regulations on states regarding sports betting. 

“I was in favor of a federal framework for sports betting. I still am,” Silver explained. “I still think that the hodgepodge state-by-state [approach] makes it more difficult for the league to administer.”

The NBA has been strict with players who breach the league's gambling regulations. In April, Silver imposed a lifetime ban on former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter after an investigation revealed that he attempted to manipulate games for bookies in return for illicit payments. 

"We regard this with utmost seriousness," Silver concluded.