Before Tuesday’s All-Star Game, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred had a lengthy news conference in which he made revealing comments about sports gambling.
Sports commissioners, coaches and players have levied their concerns about the issue since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal ban on sports gambling in May 2018.
Manfred did not mention specific instances of threats to player safety but noted it was a topic that has come up multiple times.
“If a player receives a threat from any source, on any topic, it is a matter of concern to us that we take really seriously,” Manfred stated, per ESPN.com. “I’ve had players in the last month mention this issue to me as one of concern, and we’re discussing what we should do to be more proactive in this area.”
Since the Supreme Court decision, 38 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have legalized sports gambling in some form. Leagues and teams have partnered with sportsbooks, with several teams operating sportsbooks out of their home stadiums. Advertisements litter broadcasts and dot arenas, which begs the question: Are all of these headaches worth the money for leagues and teams?
MLB, a league that’s no stranger to gambling scandals such as the Chicago Black Sox and Pete Rose, had a brush with major trouble earlier this season when Ippei Mizuhara, former interpreter for Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud charges after stealing money from Ohtani to pay off gambling debts.
In June, MLB banned Tucupita Marcano of the San Diego Padres for life for gambling while a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Four other players earned a one-year suspension.
The NBA banned former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter for life after revelations that he bet on Raptors games and shared confidential health information with bettors. Former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said he received threats from gamblers in 2023 and reported it to the league. The Cavaliers operate a sports book in their arena.
