NBA Tightens Injury Reporting Rules, Vows to Tackle Prop Betting Concerns
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In a bid to enhance transparency and prevent betting irregularities, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has introduced several changes to its injury reporting policies. The move comes in the wake of high-profile incidents involving players and coaches, including the recent arrests of Miami guard Terry Rozier and Portland coach Chauncey Billups on separate gambling-related charges. The NBA aims to limit the flow of confidential information to bettors by requiring teams to resubmit injury reports on game days, except on the second day of back-to-back games. This change is expected to reduce the value of 'tipped' information that could influence betting outcomes. To further promote transparency and education, the league plans to conduct more training sessions for team personnel on betting rules and implement new compliance measures to protect confidential team information. Additionally, the NBA will update its Fan Code of Conduct to safeguard players, coaches, and team personnel from harassment or threats by sports bettors. The league also intends to advocate for stronger anti-harassment protections in federal or state laws and regulations. The NBA is also reviewing potential policy changes to address the issue of 'tanking,' where teams intentionally lose games to improve their draft position. In a separate development, the league has reinstated Eric Lewis to its officiating program as an NBA G League official, paving the way for his potential return to the NBA. Lewis had retired in August 2023 due to an investigation into potential violations of the league's social media policy. The NBA's President overseeing League Operations, Byron Spruell, expressed confidence in Lewis's ability to serve the game fairly and with integrity, following his completion of stress management counseling and training on responsible social media use.
