The NBA’s deputy commissioner and chief operating officer says the league wants a strong federal regulatory framework for legalized gambling in the United States.
Mark Tatum made the comments a day after a New York man was charged in a sports betting scandal that spurred the NBA to ban former Toronto Raptors centre Jontay Porter for life.
Those charges are the first known criminal fallout from the matter.
Tatum had no comment on the criminal matter, but says the state-by-state legalization of sports gambling in the U.S. made it possible to track the irregularities that led to Porter being banned.
Porter is not named in the court complaint, but its specifics about “Player 1” match the details of the former Raptors player’s downfall this spring. Brooklyn federal prosecutors declined to comment on whether Porter is under investigation.
Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace says the alleged co-conspirators and “Player 1” participated “in a brazen, illegal betting scheme that had a corrupting influence on two games and numerous bets.”
— With files from The Associated Press
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2024.
The Canadian Press