Congress eyes uptick in sports betting controversies
David Purdum, ESPN
A recent uptick in gambling-related controversies in professional and amateur sports has caught the attention of Congress. Sports leagues, including the NFL and NCAA, are now facing questions on how they will navigate the new betting landscape in the U.S.
Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) issued letters to commissioners and presidents of 12 professional leagues and the NCAA on Thursday, requesting information regarding the organizations’ gambling policies. In her letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Titus, who co-chairs the Congressional Gaming Caucus, asked about prohibitions for affiliated individuals regarding betting and the league’s education process and any ongoing investigations into “suspicious sports betting activity.”
Titus also sent letters to commissioners or presidents in the NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, PGA, ATP, Formula 1, NASCAR, UFC, WNBA and IBF.
“We wanted to get ahead of this,” Titus told ESPN. “That’s why we expanded it to include so many of the different sports. It seems to be one of those things that needs addressing, as we look at sports betting generally.”
Seven NFL players, at least one assistant coach and an undisclosed number of league personnel have been suspended for violations of the gambling policy, and Indianapolis Colts defensive back and kick returner Isaiah Rodgers admitted on June 5 that he had “made mistakes” regarding an ongoing investigation into his alleged betting activity.
– Isaiah Rodgers Sr. (@rodgers_isaiah) June 6, 2023
The NCAA has multiple ongoing investigations into potential betting violations from the spring. In May, University of Alabama baseball coach Brad Bohannon was fired after being linked to suspicious betting that caused multiple states to halt betting on games involving the Crimson Tide. At Iowa and Iowa State universities, 41 student-athletes were flagged for potential betting violations. And the UFC and MLS also have been embroiled in gambling-related controversies over the past year.
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