Player unions weigh in on US sports betting debate

A group of professional sports players unions have joined together to call for a greater say on the potential expansion of regulated sports betting in the US.

Unions for players across NFL American football, NHL ice hockey, NBA basketball and MLB baseball have been working on a joint effort to ensure that any new laws take into account players’ rights and the integrity in their respective sports.

New Jersey is pushing for the federal 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) to be overturned in order to allow other US states to legalise sport betting.

Nevada is currently the only state in which punters can legally wager on sports in the US, but should the Supreme Court rule in favour of New Jersey, this would open up the market.

However, the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA), National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) have issued a joint statement urging lawmakers to consider players when setting any new regulations.

“Given the pending Supreme Court decision regarding PASPA) representatives of the MLBPA, NBPA, NFLPA and NHLPA have been working together on the legal, commercial, practical, and human consequences of allowing sports betting to become mainstream,” the group said in a joint statement.

“The time has come to address not just who profits from sports gambling, but also the costs.

“Our unions have been discussing the potential impact of legalised gambling on players’ privacy and publicity rights, the integrity of our games and the volatility on our businesses.

“Betting on sports may become widely legal, but we cannot allow those who have lobbied the hardest for sports gambling to be the only ones controlling how it would be ushered into our businesses.

“The athletes must also have a seat at the table to ensure that players’ rights and the integrity of our games are protected.”

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