MLB chief ‘re-examining’ betting stance

Commissioner Rob Manfred has revealed that Major League Baseball (MLB) is “re-examining” its opposition to sports betting.

The North American baseball league has long been averse to the legalisation of sports betting across the US, and has led the fight to maintain the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).

Indeed, MLB first adopted an official set of rules about gambling in the sport back in 1927.

However, speaking to Yahoo Finance, Manfred admitted that sports betting is happening in the US regardless of whether it is legal or not, and that it may be preferable to introduce a regulated market that protects the public.

“Sports betting happens,” Manfred said. “Whether it’s legalised here or not, it’s happening out there. So I think the question for sports is really, ‘Are we better off in a world where we have a nice, strong, uniform, federal regulation of gambling that protects the integrity of sports, provides sports with the tools to ensure that there is integrity in the competition… Or are we better off closing our eyes to that and letting it go on as illegal gambling? And that’s a debatable point.”

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has been a vocal proponent of legalising regulated sports betting and recently said he believes “gambling is good for business”.

Manfred added that sports betting offers an opportunity to engage with the public, and particularly younger fans.

“There is this buzz out there in terms of people feeling that there may be an opportunity here for additional legalised sports betting,” Manfred said. “We are re-examining our stance on gambling. It’s a conversation that’s ongoing with the owners.”

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