PHILLIPS: Official data is one of the key pieces in leagues’ effort to control sports betting. But the real test will be how much operators and bettors value it. That will likely come down to the private commercial agreements that leagues forge rather than legislating a “integrity fee” — essentially a cut of US sports betting handle that’s not linked to the data. The NBA has a deal with Sportradar for live data, while MLB is forging an arrangement with Genius Sports.

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2021 decision to strike down 1992’s Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PAPSA), sports betting has exploded in popularity, leading to record-breaking state revenues in New Jersey. But the state’s success has also highlighted problems in the industry, including a lack of oversight and insufficient transparency.

The NFL, for instance, has seen several players — including Isaiah Rodgers of the Indianapolis Colts, Rashod Berry of the Tennessee Titans and Demetrius Taylor of the Washington Commanders — suspended indefinitely or for multiple games after being linked to illegal betting activity. And in college basketball, a number of student-athletes have been flagged for suspicious betting activity, most notably at Iowa and Oklahoma State.

As for the NHL, its collective bargaining agreement states that team and league employees “are prohibited from placing bets on any NHL game while at team or league facilities or while traveling with their teams.” But if betting is legal where a player lives, there’s no restriction on betting on non-NHL events. And the NHL’s constitution includes a statement that acknowledges the prohibition on betting on its own events.