The sports betting industry has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, with regulated markets now available in dozens of states. This growth has created new revenue streams for professional leagues, which are able to leverage their relationships with sportsbooks and work with integrity monitoring companies to gain more visibility into the bets placed on their games.
While gambling is legal in most of the United States, there are still restrictions on where it can be done and who can place a wager. The American Gaming Association, the gambling industry’s lobby group, is pushing for states to be able to write their own laws regarding sports betting. This would allow for a more regulated market and keep it from falling into the black market where unscrupulous operators are able to lure unsuspecting consumers with free bets.
In the meantime, some states are making the most of their current gambling laws to promote sports betting. Kentucky made the move in 2023, allowing in-person and online sports betting. It has since expanded its offering to include eight online books. Iowa has also made legal sports betting a reality, allowing retail and mobile sportsbooks to operate. The state passed a bill in May, with its sportsbooks going live in August.
MLB is another major league that has partnered with sportsbooks to promote its products. Its in-house integrity team works with sportsbook operators, regulators and independent integrity monitors to catch any irregularities. It also conducts its own investigations of any alleged rule violations. For example, if baseball personnel deliberately tank a game or ask someone else to lose on purpose they will receive indefinite suspensions. It is also illegal to offer gifts or anything of value to an umpire, which can result in a three-year ban.
Similarly, the NBA has expanded its partnerships with DraftKings and FanDuel to make them co-official sportsbooks for the league. Its partnership agreements give both sites access to NBA data and trademarks and allow them to feature NBA content on their sports betting and daily fantasy sports platforms. The NBA also collaborates with both companies to promote responsible gambling via social media and public education.
Despite its lack of popularity, the NHL has a rabid following among die-hard fans. Interest in the sport spikes on opening day and again during the playoffs. During the Stanley Cup playoffs, betting volume is at its peak until a champion is crowned.