The gambling policies of the NCAA and major professional sports leagues differ. To get an idea of what's allowed, we break it down by sport to see how they're navigating the evolving American betting scene.

NBA

  • Is sports gambling allowed? Anyone affiliated with the NBA — players or employees for any of the 30 teams or the league overall — cannot bet on the NBA or any of its properties. That includes the NBA, summer league, WNBA, G- League, Basketball Africa League or NBA2K League. Presuming sports betting is legal where someone is, betting on other sports is permitted.
  • Who does this apply to? Anyone either playing or working for a team or the league.
  • Where is sports gambling allowed? If sports betting is legal where the players are, anyone playing or working for a team can do so as long as it’s not betting on the NBA or any of its properties. Being inside the team facilities or on the road is not a factor.
  • Does this include any wager? No amount of money can be bet on any NBA-related property. There isn’t a limit on wagers outside of that.
  • Does this include Super Bowl squares, NCAA tournament brackets or fantasy sports? Fantasy basketball can be played, but without cash prizes. Other such non-NBA-related pools are allowed.
  • Are athletes required to sign a statement acknowledging gambling rules? Nothing has to be signed. Language that states players are bound by the player conduct memo is within the league’s collective bargaining agreement, which covers topics such as sports gambling.
  • What are the punishments? Discipline could include fines, suspensions and possible termination of contracts, among other actions. The NBA has dealt with gambling controversy. An FBI investigation revealed that referee Tim Donaghy had bet on games across the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, including games he officiated. Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in prison and never worked another NBA game.
  • How is it catching offenders? Each NBA team has a dedicated person for all sports betting matters, while the league has a team of data scientists focused on sports betting anomalies and possible integrity issues and also works with third-party integrity monitors.