Integrity is the primary focus for every professional sports league commissioner as investigations into gambling unfold and punishments are handed down.
Players, coaches, and other personnel within sports organizations are expected to maintain high standards of conduct and integrity, ensuring that professional sports remain worthy of the public’s time and money.
CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie emphasized integrity when he announced in late April that defensive lineman and three-time Grey Cup champion Shawn Lemon had been suspended indefinitely. Lemon had engaged in sports wagering while a member of the Calgary Stampeders, even betting on a game in which he participated.
“The integrity of our game is of the utmost importance,” said Ambrosie. “Any other factors — career performance, actions in the community, timing, frequency, or size of wagers — hold no weight when the legitimacy of the CFL can be called into question.”
Ambrosie stressed the seriousness of the matter, assuring fans that his office was addressing the issue appropriately. He also clarified that Lemon’s actions did not affect any game outcomes.
This incident is the latest in a series of gambling-related issues that professional sports leagues have faced recently. The rise of sports betting, driven by the proliferation of online platforms and the legalization of gambling in many jurisdictions, has introduced new complexities to the world of sports.
Protecting league integrity
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver faced a similar issue in April when the NBA investigated Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter for allegedly betting on games.
The investigation concluded that Porter had indeed violated league rules, resulting in his ban from the NBA. He allegedly “disclosed confidential information” about his health to a bettor before a March 20 game against the Sacramento Kings.
During his time with the Raptors’ G League from January to March, Porter placed at least 13 bets on NBA games totaling $54,094. None of the bets were on games in which he played, and he made a profit of $21,965 from all the wagers.
In a statement, Silver said:
“There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams, and everyone associated with our sport, which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment.”
Porter’s penalty was the first lifetime ban issued by the NBA since 1954 when Jack Molinas was permanently banned for wagering on games involving his team, the Fort Wayne Pistons.
Silver’s stern response was a public message: the NBA is committed to protecting the integrity of its game to ensure fans can trust the product.
Restoring faith in pro sports
The role of the MLB’s commissioner was created in 1920 to restore public faith in professional baseball after eight members of the Chicago White Sox were indicted on criminal charges for allegedly fixing the 1919 World Series.
Despite being found not guilty amid several irregularities, including disappearing evidence, justice wasn’t served, and the public knew it.
Kenesaw Mountain Landis, a former judge, was installed as MLB’s first commissioner. He imposed lifetime bans on all eight implicated players, satisfying the public that the cheats received their due punishment and restoring faith in the game.
Almost a century later, Landis’ approach — rooted in a deterrence theory of punishment — remains the standard for dealing with those who bet on games in which they’re involved.
Present-day league commissioners have learned from Landis how to handle gambling infractions but missed his lesson on preventing them. Landis demanded that club owners rid their ballparks of any trace of gambling by being vigilant and eradicating it. His wisdom was clear: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
However, this is not the state of modern sport. Commissioners and the owners they serve fully embrace the proliferation of legalized sports gambling, attracted by the financial gains. Leagues and teams have partnered with wagering sites to pad their wallets.
Modern-day sports and gambling
In 2021, the Ottawa Senators were the first to wear a gambling advertisement with a BET99 helmet sticker, making players skating billboards for sports betting.
The irony was lost on no one when Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto became the first modern NHL player suspended for a gambling infraction in 2023.
Gone are the days when Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle were banned from MLB for accepting jobs as Atlantic City casino greeters in their retirement.
Players, both current and former, have cozied up to gambling interests in league-sanctioned ways, advertising their products on television for all — including children — to see. It resembles the star-studded cast of athletes who once pushed Chesterfield cigarettes, appealing to young boys.
Anti-gambling advocates are pleading for the sports industry to rethink its approach to betting, but the practice has only become more pervasive and accessible.
The impact has been disastrous, with children as young as eight becoming hooked on gambling. The situation is only worsening.
In the end, sports leagues will protect the integrity of the game because there’s a financial incentive to preserve the trust and loyalty of their audiences. But will these same leagues demonstrate the integrity necessary to reverse course and protect vulnerable members of society from developing gambling addictions? There’s no money in that, so don’t bet on it.
