Las Vegas, NV – Today Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01) released a statement following several high-profile sports betting incidents across various sports leagues.

“Over the past few weeks, the media have publicized several incidents related to athletes and sports betting. We have seen reports of unethical sports betting behavior in NCAA basketball, Major League Baseball (MLB), and the National Basketball Association (NBA) which follow cases in other leagues over the past year,” said Rep. Titus. “I continue to call on all leagues and players’ associations to increase education efforts, clearly communicate the penalties for prohibited betting or sharing inside information, and expressly bar the use or promotion of illegal sports books. All leagues must be as transparent as possible to assure the public the games they choose to watch and bet on are fair.

“At this critical juncture, the regulated sports betting industry must adequately monitor integrity issues while providing protections for players. League partners must take this issue seriously. If self-regulation doesn’t work and industry leaders are not proactive in taking preventive measures, calls for the government to step in will only increase.”


Background

Within the past month, the U.S. has seen reports of multiple high-profile cases related to sports betting including from the Temple University men’s basketball team, Los Angeles Dodger’s interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, and the Toronto Raptor’s Jontay Porter.

Last June, Rep. Titus sent a letter to all major sports leagues that read in part: 

Prior to 2018, sports betting by league-affiliated individuals in the illegal, offshore marketplace was much harder to detect, but that does not mean it was not happening… When players get suspended and coaches get fired, that means the system is working. The goal, however, should be to stop these bets before they are placed. 

The letter was sent to the leadership of the following leagues: NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, PGA, ATP, Formula One, NASCAR, UFC, NWSL, WNBA, and IBF as well as the NCAA. 

Rep. Titus’s full letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell can be read HERE. The same letter was addressed to the leaders of each of the other sports leagues.