Rockets’ Fred VanVleet says NBA gambling revenue not worth risk to players

Houston Rockets guard and NBPA president Fred VanVleet believes the NBA may be getting far more trouble than benefit from sports gambling.

And he says the money does not come close to balancing it out.

VanVleet told The New York Times that gambling revenue accounts for roughly one percent of basketball-related income shared between players and the league. In his view, that number hardly justifies the potential fallout.

“It’s not substantial enough to make it worth any of this,” VanVleet said. “For us or for the league, quite frankly.”

VanVleet, 32, was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association last summer while recovering from a torn ACL. Since then, he has made the growing influence of sports betting one of his primary concerns.

“Kind of feels like it’s gotten away from us a little bit,” he said. “A nice little campfire makes you feel warm. But if it turns into a wildfire, that’s where we are right now.”

The union has already discussed possible changes, including eliminating certain prop bets tied to individual players.

VanVleet also raised concerns about safety, pointing to a viral video of a gambler confronting Jimmy Butler after losing a wager.

“If Jimmy escalates that situation and somebody’s got a gun on him, that’s real,” VanVleet said.

The NBA has partnered with gambling companies since a 2018 Supreme Court ruling opened the door for legalized sports betting nationwide.