Meeting with reporters before Wednesday’s game, Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff talked about receiving threats from gamblers last season, writes Tom Withers of The Associated Press. After Bickerstaff reported the threats to the NBA, one of the people responsible was tracked down, but no charges were filed.
“They got my telephone number and were sending me crazy messages about where I live and my kids and all that stuff,” he said. “So it is a dangerous game and a fine line that we’re walking for sure.”
With sports betting now legal in 38 states and the District of Columbia, gambling has never had a more prominent role in the NBA. Withers notes that a sportsbook operates inside the Cavs’ arena, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, and fans are able to place bets on their phones during games.
“It brings added pressure,” Bickerstaff said. “It brings a distraction to the game that can be difficult for players, coaches, referees, everybody that’s involved in it. And I think that we really have to be careful with how close we let it get to the game and the security of the people who are involved in it.
“Because again, it does carry a weight. A lot of times the people who are gambling like this money pays their light bill or pay their rent, and then the emotions that come from that. So I do think we’re walking a very fine line and we have to be extremely careful in protecting everybody who’s involved.”
The question of whether gambling has become too pervasive in the NBA crops up occasionally, most recently when Minnesota center Rudy Gobert received a technical for making a “money” gesture at officials after fouling out of a game at Cleveland earlier this month. Gobert accused the referees of letting gambling concerns influence their calls and was fined $100K for his comments.
Bickerstaff didn’t pursue that route, but he said the influence of betting has “crossed the line.”
“The amount of times where I’m standing up there and we may have a 10-point lead and the spread is 11 and people are yelling at me to leave the guys in so that we can cover the spread, it’s ridiculous,” he said. “But again, I understand the business side of it and the nature of the business of it. But I mean, it is something that I believe has gone too far.”
People are pathetic. I wish lawmakers would take such harassment more seriously. Make it a felony with significant jail time. Otherwise, the threats will just continue. Unfortunately, all too often nothing is done/there’s only a slap on the wrist.
If they did that you would have the other problem where players would start putting people in jail for negative comments on Instagram posts…the problem is that you’ve allowed a bunch of amateurs to place bets legally, make that stuff illegal again but don’t chase people down for it, real gamblers will find a way and they understand that sometimes you lose your bet and their ain’t sh!t to do about it but move on
@joparx
This post is completely nonsensical. Put down whatever it is you’re smoking.
Gambling has been around since the first sporting event was played. This is nothing new.
It’s completely different today with the internet, social media, and so much of our personal data exposed online in various dark crevices. Back in the day, you might get harassed by a smaller subset of folks. Now, it’s a ten-thousand strong army of degenerates who, at best, will verbally abuse you and, at worst, will make actual threats.
I, for one, am glad I’m not famous nor talented enough to have to deal with this garbage, especially with a family. And there’s not much someone like Bickerstaff can do to shield himself from it. It just comes with the territory.
When was that?
Too true, too true… but people who gamble has no moral compass!
Gambling’s only purpose is for people to lose their money, if you don’t want to lose, don’t gamble, as simple as!!!
People who judge others are those lacking a moral compass. Take a look in the mirror.
But having a sportsbook presence at the arena taking bets sure hasn’t.
Gambling is a blight on society…
Desperate people do desperate things, gambling is a rotten carrot dangled in front of them…
If it only effected the gamblers life it wouldn’t be so bad… It effects everyone around them and those involved in the games that are being gambled on…
Too true. Just like booze
Yes. Just like sugar. The government should ban it for society’s benefit.
The NBA should have understood what it was getting itself into. It is a matter of time before point shaving scandals hit the game.
Nothing new I was at the Warriors Bulls game when reg Donaughy was busted for pushing Andris Biendrins out of the paint before the 3 second call!
That was about 2007
Gambling will be the downfall of all professional sports within ten years. The integrity of sports is becoming questioned and before long, it will be shown that they all have become the equivalent of pro wrestling. It will be sad.
Interesting.
NBA only saw money and took it, which they have proven they will do over and over, gambling is not some blight on society, it’s just not for amateurs, if you gamble I promise you will lose, and lose again, and lose again, if you think refs haven’t been fixing games for years boy do I have a story about this guy named Tim for you…make people show up somewhere to be allowed to gamble, show your face and give a reason, you can get on these apps and stay disconnected, that is a problem
As long as people dont bet more than they can afford to lose, it isnt an issue. If they break that rule, it is on them – not the sportsbooks. Lack of accountability from some isnt a good reason to prevent access for all.
I hope Bickerstaff doesn’t receive a visit sometime soon, accompanied by the iconic phrase,
“Hey, JB, let’s take a walk..”
Scot foster leave Bernie b alone
Troubles with gambling in sports has gotten this bad rather quickly, so you have to figure this is just the tip of the iceberg. A basketball coach is threatened… A superstar baseball player’s interpreter is fired… Multiple football players suspended for various lengths of time*… Again, it’s early in the process. It’s only just begun.
The collateral damage has also just begun. We’re already at the point where every missed or bad call by a game official draws plenty of “on the take” allegations. Hope that money is REAL good, pro sports… You’re not far away from losing every semblance of integrity and fair play you may have still had.
*I don’t follow hockey or soccer at all, so I have no idea if those sports have been tainted yet.
Now all those cocaine rumors make way more sense…
This is why the Premier League is outlawing all betting advertising on players shirts and I think in the Arenas also. The Premier League encouraged this year’s ago, now they are seeing the damage it can do to the sports integrity. The NBA will be wise to disassociate or extricate itself from this mess.
Yep. FIFA… the paragon of virtue.
I don’t get it, I am not entrusting my well earned money on someone else. The gamblers are losers for getting mad and worse at making the threats.
People can definitely get irrational when it comes to gambling. The poor behavior towards others rather than self-reflecting is a nasty problem.
Weak leaders will do nothing. Time for bodyguards now.
Never said it was new. Back around 1950 2 superstars who played for the Indianapolis franchise before the Pacers were suspended for life. The franchise folded shortly thereafter. While we suspect it their has not been a point shaving scandal that involved legal consequences in the NBA since. That said I suspect it within 2 to 5 years someone will trace it through the net. The temptation and the money make it inevitable.
What are you talking about? The Pacers weren’t founded until 1967 and have not had anyone banned for gambling