Nevada Sportsbooks Hold Firm Amid National Betting Probes
A series of high-profile gambling investigations across major U.S. sports has pushed leagues and lawmakers to tighten controls on certain betting markets. While MLB, the NCAA, the NBA and others review their policies, Nevada’s largest sportsbook operators say the state’s existing protections remain sufficient. Despite growing national scrutiny, they do not expect significant changes to Nevada’s sports betting landscape in the near future.
National Betting Probes Trigger New Restrictions
Recent allegations of illicit betting activity involving the NBA, NCAA, MLB and UFC prompted a U.S. Senate review and pushed several leagues to reconsider the availability of prop bets. Major League Baseball moved quickly, working with licensed operators to limit micro-markets tied to single pitches and removing them from parlays. The adjustment followed federal charges claiming two Cleveland Guardians pitchers took payments to influence pitch outcomes.
While other jurisdictions weigh stricter measures, Nevada bookmakers are taking a different view. According to reporting from the Las Vegas Review-Journal, leaders from Circa Sports and the Westgate SuperBook argue that the state’s system already offers strong oversight. Chris Bennett of Circa emphasized that bookmakers – not regulators – should decide which markets to post. He noted that “there will always be weak spots when people have strong reasons to mess with outcomes,” adding that cutting back popular prop bets would not eliminate risk but would reduce competition among operators.
Monitoring and Early Detection in the Nevada Market
Pitch-by-pitch wagering is common on national online platforms, yet Nevada sportsbooks rarely post these markets. Operators in the state also maintain they are well-positioned to identify suspicious activity before it escalates. John Murray of Westgate cited a recent UFC bout that the sportsbook removed after detecting irregular betting patterns. He highlighted the value of experienced traders, arguing that targeted internal monitoring often performs better than broad regulatory changes.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said during this week’s owners’ meetings that the league does not plan to introduce new betting restrictions beyond the recent pitch-market caps. He reiterated that “looking at data from betting partners remains baseball’s main way to protect itself.”
The NFL released updated guidelines discouraging bets on officiating, injuries and other vulnerable areas. NCAA president Charlie Baker supported this approach as he continues efforts to limit prop bets involving college athletes. Nevada bookmakers, however, said state regulators have not asked for adjustments to their offerings.
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