Official betting is a growing part of the sports gambling landscape as professional sports leagues strike deals with sportsbooks and work with integrity firms that monitor sportsbook action. This gives the leagues significant visibility into bets placed on their games and allows them to respond quickly if there are signs of potential corruption.

For instance, the NFL’s new policy on player behavior includes a clause that says players should avoid betting on their own teams or competitions. A violation could result in a suspension and may also cause the league to lose sponsorship opportunities.

NBA teams have a similar policy that says any player or employee cannot place a wager on the NBA, its summer league or any other NBA-related properties (excluding the Basketball Africa League and the G-League). This is not to prevent betting, but it is designed to ensure that team personnel aren’t exposed to inside information that can be used for betting purposes. The league is working with integrity monitors, sportsbooks and regulators to help spot any violations of its rules.

After a lengthy legislative battle and public statements of support from Gov. Mike DeWine, Ohio legalized sports betting in 2021 and the first retail and online sportsbooks went live in November. The state is now home to several sportsbooks, including SugarHouse, and will soon see its first online brands — DraftKings, FanDuel and Caesars — open in the spring of 2023. In Kansas, where sports betting launched in 2022, the law tethers online sportsbooks to casinos with carveouts for pro sports teams and the Kansas Speedway.