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A group of NBA players are tired of having to deal with angry sports bettors. Forty-six percent of pro players think gambling partnerships are bad for the league, according to a poll in The Athletic. The betting question was one of several posed to NBA players as a way to get the opinions of league players.
One hundred fifty NBA players were polled anonymously on the question. When asked if gambling partnerships are good for the league, only 34 percent of players said yes.
“It blurs the line between intentions and purity of the game. And I just think it’s, in my opinion, (it’s) a little predatory the way they push it,” one player said.
Twelve percent said of respondents said partnerships are somewhere in the middle of good and bad for the NBA.
NBA player safety is an issue raised with sports betting
Sports betting is becoming more and more popular in the United States. The United States Congress has held hearings on betting, and players have spoken out across the athletics landscape about how betting affects their play.
One issue that seemed to fuel the negative responses in the NBA poll deals with player safety. NBA players are having to deal with receiving angry vitriol online more regularly from bettors over lost bets.
“I get that it increases your own money, but it’s a little unsettling to me. … I get 10 messages, DMs (direct messages) a game, (saying), ‘F— you, I’m gonna f— your family up,’” the player added.
Another issue raised has to do with the ethics of the gambling partnerships between the league and online sportsbooks.
“Why do you think they can spend that much money on advertising? They’re taking your money and throwing it back in your face. And so, I think on that question alone, I think it’s dangerous to have such a close partnership,” the player added.
Congress is looking into implementing new laws on sports betting, although nothing has been passed at the federal level recently.
