The house always wins, but what about the fans?

Gambling scandals surge while league profits keep climbing

SportsOpinionJayde Lazier — Published November 18, 2025 0 minutes

But for those who haven’t, the three men were recently arrested in gambling investigations involving illegal sports betting and rigged poker games backed by the American Mafia. 
This current scandal is unfortunately just one of many gambling-related issues plaguing the NBA. It highlights a larger issue within the league: gambling has become deeply embedded in the fan experience through the numerous NBA partnerships with betting companies.

Many people argue that the league prioritizes financial gain over the safety of its image and players. Some may contest this, responding with the claim that the NBA places warnings on its advertisements. That’s true; with a couple magnifying glasses over each other, viewers can see that warning loud and clear. 

These legal disclaimers are small and practically invisible compared to the onslaught of flashy, in-your-face gambling ads. For example, an ad recently released in collaboration with the NBA and Draft Kings featured Shaquille O’Neal surrounded by bright green colours, flashy bolded text. Then in the corner underneath it all, a small legal disclaimer.

During games, we consistently see logos or in-game prompts on screen that normalize sports gambling. For heavily invested sports fans, especially younger ones, it can make it very challenging not to fall prey to this temptation. 

Critics have been avidly raising concerns that this intensive advertising could be influencing young people to gamble or bet when they don’t fully grasp the risks involved.

The NBA has indeed participated in some responsible gambling campaigns with the American Gaming Association, like “Have a Game Plan. Bet Responsibly” or “Never Know What’s Next,” which aims to educate fans about the risks involved with betting. 

However, these isolated efforts are not enough. Responsible messaging should be embedded into every campaign, not treated as a side project. 

There also needs to be a reduction in the amount of advertising and sponsorship that endorses gambling and betting that we see. While understanding that it will never disappear entirely, there need to be safer ways to get involved. 

Teams can invest in responsible gambling programs for the fans and increase their players’ education and overall protection. The NBA needs to implement better programs to inform players and coaches not just about the legal repercussions of betting and gambling but also about the mental and emotional toll it can take.

To restore the league's integrity and rebuild fan trust, the NBA needs to move beyond damage control. How many times can this issue just be swept under the rug before the rug starts to lift from the floor? 

Players’ poor actions are reflecting badly on the association, and the lack of accountability tells fans that this is normal and, therefore, OK. The NBA needs to stop issuing meaningless press statements after players or coaches are arrested for illegal gambling, betting, or other similar issues. It should be creating an environment where it can get in front of these issues before they happen.

Educate. Support. Implement. Don’t just put a Band-Aid over the gaping wound that is betting and gambling in major league sports. Start asking why players and coaches feel that it’s acceptable to revert to these illegal acts. Ask the associates within the company why they aren’t taking proactive measures to combat these issues, and ask yourself: why aren’t we holding the NBA accountable?
 

This article originally appeared in Volume 46, Issue 6, published November 18, 2025.