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The NBA and WNBA have announced a joint responsible gaming campaign warning fans about the risks of sports betting and prediction markets ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season.
Announced Oct. 13, the initiative was developed with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and targets basketball fans, particularly young adults. The campaign will launch during the new NBA season, which begins Oct. 20.
According to the NBA’s official announcement, a new video spot will appear across social media, television and other NBA- and WNBA-owned and partner channels. The leagues have not announced an exact debut date.
The campaign delivers a unified warning: Sports betting and prediction markets carry financial risks, regardless of how the products are regulated or marketed.
Sports betting and prediction markets carry risks
The campaign emphasizes that placing a sports bet and trading a prediction market contract can expose fans to similar gambling-related harms.
The leagues warn that excessive participation can affect more than finances, potentially damaging mental health and relationships with family and friends.
Even extensive basketball knowledge does not eliminate the risk of losing money. Fans are encouraged to treat betting and prediction markets as entertainment rather than a way to generate income.
The initiative also urges participants to:
- Set spending and time limits
- Avoid risking money they cannot afford to lose
- Seek assistance when gambling becomes difficult to control
Fans can find educational resources at ResponsiblePlay.org or call or text 1-800-MY-RESET, the National Problem Gambling Helpline, for free, confidential support available around the clock.
NBA, WNBA leaders emphasize fan education
NBA Head of Media Distribution and Partnerships Scott Kaufman-Ross said the campaign reflects changing ways fans engage with basketball.
“As the ways people engage with sports continue to evolve, it is important that fans understand the risks associated with putting money on sports outcomes,” Kaufman-Ross said.
He added that the leagues want fans to make informed decisions and participate responsibly if they choose to bet or trade.
WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison said expanding the initiative to WNBA audiences would provide more fans with practical guidance on financial risks, spending limits and available support.
NCPG Board President Derek Longmeier also welcomed the partnership, describing awareness as an important first step toward preventing gambling-related harm.
The campaign builds on the NBA’s existing responsible gaming initiatives with the NCPG while extending the educational message to WNBA fans.
NBA weighs prediction market partnerships
The campaign comes as the NBA considers its commercial relationship with the growing prediction markets industry.
Unlike the NHL and Major League Baseball, which have signed agreements with prediction market companies, the NBA has taken a more cautious approach.
As SBC Americas reported, the league had not announced a formal prediction market partnership as of Oct. 14, although discussions about potential agreements were reportedly underway.
Several prominent NBA players have already established ties with the industry.
LeBron James has partnered with Polymarket, while Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is a shareholder in Kalshi.
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has expressed a different perspective. Earlier in October, he described it as “sad” that some fellow players promote gambling.
These developments highlight the different approaches to prediction markets emerging across professional basketball.
The NBA’s campaign does not oppose prediction markets outright. Instead, it emphasizes that fans should recognize the risks regardless of whether they participate through traditional sportsbooks or event contract platforms.
NBA tightens rules on risky bets
The campaign also coincides with heightened scrutiny of sports betting integrity following investigations involving NBA players.
On Oct. 16, the NBA announced additional restrictions targeting wagers considered particularly vulnerable to manipulation.
The changes prohibit certain combinations of player-performance unders in parlays, wagers on opening tip outcomes and bets involving specific missed shots. They also restrict unders involving players expected to see limited playing time.
The measures follow gambling-related investigations involving former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier.
Porter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in 2024 after admitting he deliberately limited his participation in games to benefit bettors. Rozier has pleaded not guilty to charges related to alleged gambling misconduct.
The restrictions apply to covered sportsbook offerings, but prediction markets present a separate challenge because sports event contracts operate under a different regulatory framework.
That distinction adds another dimension to the NBA’s responsible gaming campaign, which addresses the risks of both activities even though their regulatory treatment differs.
New NBA season tests gambling messaging
With the 2026-27 NBA season opening Oct. 20, the campaign arrives as professional basketball faces increasing scrutiny over gambling integrity and the expansion of prediction markets.
The NBA and WNBA are presenting sports betting and event contract trading as activities that require similar consumer safeguards, even when they operate under different regulations.
However, the NBA’s potential commercial relationships with prediction market operators could complicate how that message is received.
For the NCPG, the campaign offers an opportunity to expand responsible gambling education while questions remain about its relationship with Kalshi.
The coming season will test how effectively the leagues can balance commercial opportunities, gambling integrity and their commitment to protecting fans.
