Official betting is an area of sports betting that involves a state or jurisdiction’s regulated sportsbooks. This includes retail and online sportsbooks, as well as mobile apps. In the United States, there are a handful of states with legal sports gambling, and dozens of regulated online sportsbooks that accept players from multiple states.

The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PAPSA) prevents sportsbooks in states that have not passed a law authorizing it from sponsoring, operating, advertising, promoting or licensing sports wagering. It also prevents teams from being compensated for wagering activities on their games. However, since the PAPSA ruling in 2022, a few states have made it legal to place bets on pro and amateur sports, while many more countries around the world are embracing regulated sports betting.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has pushed for federal legislation to permit states to authorize sports betting, ensuring “strict regulatory requirements and technological safeguards.” He has also teamed up with DraftKings and FanDuel to promote responsible gaming through social media messaging and public advocacy campaigns.

NFL rules forbid players from placing bets while at team or league facilities, or when traveling on a business trip for a road game. Players who violate those rules are subject to indefinite suspensions. In addition, players are not allowed to gamble on sports that have an NCAA championship, such as college baseball or football. MLS players can bet on non-MLS events, but they cannot bet on a Premier League or World Cup match.