For much of the last century, professional sports operated under a constant shadow: the fear that athletes or insiders could influence the outcome of games. The 1919 Black Sox scandal left such a lasting mark that it shaped league governance and the creation of the Commissioner system for generations.

That landscape shifted in 2018, when the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Murphy v. NCAA struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). Within months, states began authorizing legal sports wagering, and professional leagues and major media partners embraced the new marketplace. Proponents argue that a regulated betting industry actually improves oversight, since unusual betting patterns and line movements can now be monitored in real time.

Yet legalization has also brought new risks. On October 23, 2025, the FBI unsealed indictments charging six individuals—including an NBA head coach and an active player—with participating in a sophisticated betting operation tied to organized crime and the use of insider information. Commentators warn that the case may signal broader integrity threats ahead.

This CLE program will outline the current legal status of sports betting, restrictions imposed on players and team personnel, and how regulators and leagues are responding to the challenges created by widespread wagering across 39 states and Tribal gaming venues nationwide.