Legal betting continues to raise sports integrity concerns

• Since the start of the legal betting expansion in 2018, wagering is available in 40 U.S. states
• Recent scandals continue to raise concerns about the integrity of sports, impacted by legal betting, and one expert suggests smaller wagers may go undetected
• Sports Leagues continue to invest in education, prevention and detection of potential malpractices

With less than a dozen U.S. states not offering some form of sports betting, the activity continues to enjoy significant popularity.

Besides generating tax revenue and putting bets out of illegal bookies, legal betting creates new opportunities for sports leagues and teams.

However, in light of a slew of scandals over the last couple of years, this expansion constantly raises concern related to the impact of betting on professional sports.

Are some athletes having an off night, or is their performance influenced by something else?

Now, one industry expert shared their opinion, highlighting the potential sports integrity threats created by the expansion of wagering.

Interviewed by the media outlet, KCUR, Jordan Bass, the University of Kansas Health, Sports and Exercise Science department's Chair, acknowledged the challenges related to addressing sports integrity threats related to betting.

The expert said that cases, such as the recent bans of two Major League Soccer players, and the Major League Baseball scandal from last year, are the ones that were detected, whereas many more athletes and sports personnel may consider a "better" way to pull off similar manipulation attempts and remain under the radar.

"They’re doing it in a more discreet way for a less amount of money, without their name tied to it," Bass said.

Such potential integrity threats may ultimately decrease the interest of sports fans, he added, explaining that viewers may wonder if the player is having an off night or "is the off night influenced by something else."

According to Bass such cases are a cause of concern for teams and leagues.

However, according to the expert, ensuring the integrity of sports competitions is not a lost cause in the context of the ongoing investment of teams and leagues to combat potential threats.

"But, we’re always going to be a step behind, right? Whether it’s gambling or anything else," Bass added.

While legal sports betting continues its expansion across the country, so do the popular sports event contracts.

According to the American Gaming Association, the offering of prediction markets on sports events "without state oversight, they skip the rules that states have set forth to protect players and support local communities," and at the same time results in tax revenue losses.

At the time of writing, a counter for the lost tax revenue by the Association is getting close to the mind-blowing sum of $600m.

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