Knicks Gambling Partnership is One of Many in the New Betting Landscape of the NBA

    

    Noted Knicks fan and comedian JB Smoove stands alone on the court of Madison Square Garden. He holds his arms out as he surveys the empty arena; a gladiator begging the question - are you not entertained?

    This short ad is played during almost every broadcast from the Knicks’ broadcasting network MSG. It serves to remind viewers that Caesars Sportsbook is an official sports betting partner of the New York Knicks.

    On November 18, 2022, Madison Square Garden released a press statement naming the company as an official betting partner of not only the Knicks but the Rangers and Madison Square Garden as a whole. The multi-year deal would also launch a “first-of-its-kind branded content series featuring JB Smoove.”    

    This year, a “branded, premium hospitality space” officially opened in MSG. Fans attending games, who have signed up to become Ceasars Rewards members, will have access to the space and giveaways, appearances, and other special rewards.

    In addition to King Caesar moving into the world’s most famous arena, the Knicks also signed another multi-year deal with BetMGM the same month. This deal allowed BetMGM to advertise their betting lines both in the arena and on the broadcast. Nowadays the Knicks’ pregame show even includes money lines from the sports gambling company.

    Ten years ago this would have been unfathomable. Sports betting be promoted in NBA arenas and on broadcasts? After all, the league has had a checkered past when it comes to betting on games. 

Look no further than 15 years ago, when the association was rocked by a betting scandal. 

In 2007, NBA referee Tim Donaghy was accused of betting on and fixing games he refereed. Additionally, Donaghy was allegedly sharing information with professional gamblers The FBI investigated the dealings of Donaghy, who was arrested and sent to prison. This scandal put the league’s entire credibility on trial and ensured that league-sanctioned gambling would not take place anytime soon.

Former commissioner David Stern was known as a strong opponent of the legalization of sports betting in basketball and other sports when he ran the league. However, like the NBA as a whole, recently Stern changed his tune on sports gambling.

"Let's not talk about the 'evils' of gambling when it comes to sports," Stern said. "The industry has come to accept that a properly run gaming association will be protective of sports."

This interview with ESPN took place in 2016, and it seems like Stern was ahead of his time. Two years later, the NBA would become the first sports league to have a partnership with a sportsbook. Following the deal, MGM Resorts would be able to use “NBA and WNBA data and branding”.

Since 2018, sports betting has exploded onto the scene in the NBA, with companies such as Fanduel, DraftKings, and PrizePicks vying for NBA bettors' business.

However, this emergence of sports gambling in the NBA does not come with its own set of concerns. Team officials told SportsIllustrated that they are worried that fans might resort to violence if something doesn’t go their way during a game they’re betting on.

The cohost of a new NBA-partnered FanDuel show, “Run it Back”, is none other than Shams Charania, one of the most prominent and trustworthy sources of news in the NBA. Having Charania as a host on a gambling show seems to raise obvious questions. 

He knows more and has connections with teams that almost no one else does - should he be discussing this on a betting show? Charania, whether intentional or not, could compromise the integrity of a game with the sharing of privileged knowledge.

Calvin Ridley, former Falcons and now Jaguars wideout, recently received a year-long suspension for betting on games in the NFL. 

While cases like this haven’t happened recently in the NBA, Ridley serves as an ominous warning of what could happen when sports gambling becomes too prevalent. With the growing partnerships between NBA franchises and sports betting companies, it seems like only a matter of time before a serious case of a conflict of interest arises and punishments are dealt out once again.

Until that day arrives though, Julius Caesar will continue to roam the empty arena of the world’s most famous arena during commercial breaks.