Mark Tatum, Deputy Commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA), has urged the United States federal government to strengthen federal regulations to prevent professional athletes from engaging in illegal gambling and sports betting.
Tatum criticized current conditions that allow loopholes for athletes to place illegal sports bets but did not specify the reforms he suggests. He praised the existing legal gambling system for enabling data exchange and the detection of illegal betting patterns.
"We were able to identify violations in terms of accepting bets, and data from our partners allowed this case to gain publicity. We have always supported the federal regulatory framework, but it needs amendment," Tatum said.
Tatum highlighted the recent incident involving Jontay Porter, a center for the Toronto Raptors, who violated league rules by sharing confidential information with other sports bettors and placing bets on NBA games himself. One bettor received Porter's information and placed an $80,000 bet at an online bookmaker, winning $1.1 million. The unusual betting activity led to the freezing of the bet.
Despite Porter receiving a lifetime ban, his accomplices are being identified and charged. Long Phi Pham was arrested in New York. Brooklyn District Attorney Beon Peace stated that Porter contacted Pham and others, cautioning them about potential legal action.
The NBA's call for stricter federal regulations aims to bolster measures against illegal sports betting, ensuring integrity in professional sports and protecting against insider information misuse.
