By Cyote Williams
A few weeks back, I wrote about the influence that broadcasting deals and media rights have had on college sports. Although it was brief, I hoped to get my point across. Big money was affecting the essence of collegiate sports. In the professional sporting world, I see a different threat to the integrity of the game — legalized sports gambling.
In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was unconstitutional. Without diving in too deep, the ruling cleared the way for states to legalize sports gambling. Soon after, in 2019, sports gambling was legalized in Iowa when Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 617.
Early on, the only way to gamble on sports in Iowa was via DraftKings, one of the largest sportsbooks in the country, and to drive to the Wild Rose Casino in Jefferson and sign up in person. I did this — gleefully — with a friend. I lost money that night; my friend made money. It was all in good fun.
This is where the fun stops. The ease of access to these apps is just a few clicks away on smartphones. Not only that, but these sportsbooks also now have a stranglehold on professional sports leagues and continue to grow their influence. It is nearly impossible to watch a sports broadcast, whether it be a game or talk show, and not be bombarded by advertisements from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM or any of the other rapidly growing sportsbooks. ESPN even has its own sportsbook.
A story on the Sports Business Journal by Bill King says that as of January 2025, U.S sportsbooks have a combined 87 sponsorship deals with teams in the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB.
With sports betting becoming legal and losing much of its stigma, athletes are getting caught up in the mix at a concerning rate. You certainly remember several Iowa and Iowa State athletes getting in trouble for an illegal betting scandal in 2023. I wrote in Civic Skinny for CITYVIEW that “the 17 players involved made slightly more than 10,000 wagers, and between the 12 athletes who had their money wagered listed in the complaints, more than $84,000 in bets were placed.”
Yes, $84,000. By college students! That’s a few tuitions and then some. The problems don’t stop there, though, as professional leagues have been dealing with their fair share of headaches. Just recently, NBA player Jontay Porter was given a lifetime ban for gambling on himself and telling others to do the same. Fellow player Malik Beasley is currently under investigation for the same reason.
Bleacher Report put together a summary of five incidents the MLB has dealt with since 2024 alone, which includes its biggest star, Shohei Ohtani, and his translator. Five players were suspended in June 2024; an umpire was fired in February 2025 amid a gambling probe. And now, two players have been placed on leave thanks to a gambling probe, one of which is Emmanuel Clase, one of the best closing pitchers in the sport.
These teams and leagues continue to enrich themselves thanks to the sportsbook dollars but turn around and frown at their players for participating. If gambling on the sport by the players harms the integrity of the game, why should these franchises be allowed to promote them? Why should the “worldwide leader” in sports journalism be allowed to open its own sportsbook and bombard its audience with spreads, lines, player totals and more? Rules for thee but not for me, as the saying goes.
Without a doubt, plenty of blame falls on the players involved in this. It is well known that if you are a professional athlete, making millions of dollars, gambling should be the last thing on your mind. However, the people who are paying them are taking the money made from gambling. It’s like if alcoholics anonymous was sponsored by Jack Daniels. It’s like if the Iowa DOT were sponsored by NASCAR. How can you expect one thing of your players, but promote the opposite at the same time?
Is my throwing $10 down on the Iowa State vs. Kansas State game going to completely upend the sporting world as we know it? Probably not. But when you set this double standard between franchises/leagues and their players, you’re begging for trouble.