With legal sports betting now a reality in nearly all US states, official betting has become a central point of controversy and debate. In the wake of a landmark Supreme Court ruling, leagues have stepped up their efforts to become primary stakeholders in regulated sports gambling and to profit from the activity, ideally via a direct share of total handle. Increasingly, the quest for official data mandates has replaced integrity fees as the leagues’ preferred mechanism to achieve those goals.

All in-uniform NFL personnel are prohibited from placing bets on any regulated sport betting event, including Super Bowl squares and NCAA tournament brackets. However, players are allowed to place bets on non-NBA events at legal sportsbooks while in their home state and away from team facilities. Players also can take part in NBA-related activities such as Fantasy basketball contests, but must do so without cash prizes.

Individuals associated with clubs at lower levels of the men’s and women’s league systems, as well as match officials at FA Level 4 or below, are banned from betting on any matches in which they participate. They also are barred from soliciting, offering or accepting a bribe to fix a match.

New Jersey, which brought the Supreme Court case that opened the door to sports betting, continues to lead the way with a competitive, operator-friendly system. But it has been surpassed in recent months by Washington, D.C., which has partnered with MGM and launched an in-person retail sportsbook at Nationals Park.