Critics have long known that the incestuous relationship between sports leagues, sports networks, and sports betting companies is a problem.<\/p>\n
Craig Carton thinks ESPN would be wise to put some separation between itself and its gambling partner before it spells major disaster.<\/p>\n
Carton would know all too well about the perils of gambling. The former WFAN and FS1 host was sentenced to three and a half years in prison following his arrest for\u00a0securities\u00a0and\u00a0wire fraud related to his gambling issues. While he\u2019s continued dishing out hot takes since his return to the media world, he\u2019s also discussed the perils of gambling addiction and advocated for people to get help.<\/p>\n
There have been numerous betting and gambling scandals involving major sports leagues in recent years. However, this past week\u2019s FBI arrests of NBA coach Chauncey Billups and player Terry Rozier<\/a> have sent shockwaves through the industry. ESPN\u2019s coverage of the news got awkward when banners for ESPN Bet disappeared during a segment<\/a>. The situation highlighted the precarious nature of these partnerships, especially when the media company profits from the gambling operation.<\/p>\n Carton was crystal clear about what he thought ESPN needed to do to avoid a potential catastrophe down the road.<\/p>\n @craigcartonshow<\/a> ESPN HAS A GAMBLING PROBLEM\u2026 \u201cThe NFL owns 10% of ESPN\u2026 if the NFL benefits from you losing your wager, then they\u2019re incentivized to control the outcome of games.. they have a financially vested interest in you losing\u2026\u201d \u2013 Craig Carton #ESPN<\/a> #SportsBetting<\/a> #Gambling<\/a> #NFL<\/a> #fyp<\/a> \u266c original sound \u2013 The Craig Carton Show<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cESPN needs to divest immediately from ESPN Bet, and here\u2019s why,\u201d said Carton on Friday\u2019s episode of The Craig Carton Show. \u201cThe NFL owns a piece of ESPN, meaning by default, they own a piece of the sportsbook. Well, you can\u2019t have it both ways, because if the NFL benefits from you losing your wager, then they\u2019re incentivized to control the outcome of games because it means more money in their pockets.<\/p>\n \u201cMeaning they have a financially vested interest now in you losing whatever wager you make on NFL games. Meaning it\u2019s more likely for someone to say, \u2018Hey, if there\u2019s a gazillion dollars on Team X to cover, it\u2019s in our best interest that they don\u2019t cover. Make sure the referees call a game a certain way.\u2019 Now, I\u2019m taking liberties there, of course, but that\u2019s the problem. When you want people to never question your integrity, you can\u2019t own a piece of a sportsbook, and they do.<\/p>\n \u201cNumber two, if you\u2019re an on-air personality at ESPN, you should not be allowed to market picks or suggest people follow your picks because as an employee of now the NFL, you have access to inside information. Your employer does better when they make more money, giving you a chance to make more money. So you\u2019re now vested in people following your pics and losing.\u201d<\/p>\n A few points of clarification. First, Carton is referring to the NFL\u2019s 10% ownership stake in ESPN<\/a>, which is still pending regulatory approval<\/a>. Second, ESPN brands ESPN Bet, but it\u2019s owned by Penn Entertainment<\/a>, so technically speaking, neither the NFL nor ESPN owns the sportsbook, as Carton said.<\/p>\n Still, his point stands that the NFL and ESPN both have a vested interest in ESPN Bet succeeding. That, on paper, is a bad thing when it comes to defending oneself against any accusations against their integrity and intentions when the eventual next gambling scandal happens.<\/p>\n \t