Every year The Athletic polls NBA players to see what their opinions are about various topics. With many teams and the league itself having partnerships with betting companies, it’s not surprising that one of this year’s survey questions related to this subject.
The results from 150 players indicate that 46% of them believe these types of relationships are bad for the sport, with just 34% believing they’re positive:
Some players attached comments to their responses, with one saying that it “blurs the line between intention and purity of the game.”
The NBA is no stranger to integrity issues, with one of the most high-profile recent cases being former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter getting a lifetime ban for intentionally leaving games early to ensure he hit player prop bet targets.
Another case that left the NBA red-faced involved referee Tim Donaghy, who admitted in 2007 to betting on the results of games in which he was officiating, resulting in a 15-month prison sentence.
many current players have faced online and in-person abuse from irate bettors
Since legal sports betting became widespread across the US, many current players have faced online and in-person abuse from irate bettors. In response to the player poll, one individual said that he gets ten messages per game with threats from people who lost their wagers.
