NBA Commissioner Adam Silver wants legal sports gambling

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver wants to take sports gambling "out of the underground."

Silver, in his first year as commissioner, wrote a guest commentary published Thursday by The New York Times arguing that states should be allowed to legalize betting on professional sports. He pointed to New Jersey, where voters supported sports gambling in a referendum leading to Gov. Chris Christie to sign a bill to add it at casinos and racetracks, along with the popularity of sports gambling overseas.

"In light of these domestic and global trends, the laws on sports betting should be changed," Silver wrote. "Congress should adopt a federal framework that allows states to authorize betting on professional sports, subject to strict regulatory requirements and technological safeguards."

Silver's op-ed piece comes one day after the league announced an exclusive four-year deal with FanDuel, a daily fantasy site. On Tuesday, the NHL announced an exclusive partnership with DraftKings.

Silver has proposed a series of safeguards that would help police sports betting and put the onus on Congress to act.

"Without a comprehensive federal solution, state measures such as New Jersey's recent initiative will be both unlawful and bad public policy," he wrote.

"Let me be clear: Any new approach must ensure the integrity of the game. One of my most important responsibilities as commissioner of the N.B.A. is to protect the integrity of professional basketball and preserve public confidence in the league and our sport. I oppose any course of action that would compromise these objectives."

The league is especially sensitive to the issue after former referee Tim Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for his role in a gambling scandal.

Silver's push for legalized gambling falls in line with his previous comments. In 2009, the then-deputy commissioner told USA TODAY Sports that he viewed legalized sports gambling as inevitable, particularly because of the globalization of the NBA.

"We have a global business where many countries like the U.K. and China have legalized sports betting," he said five years ago. "We can't live with our heads in the sand and pound our fists that we don't want betting on our games. We realize there is enormous interest in betting on our games."

Silver's also quick to mention safeguards, including monitoring unusual betting-line movements; age verification; geo-blocking technology and education about "responsible gaming."