The United States has long held a reputation for being somewhat restrictive when it comes to online casino sites. Both betting activity and casino gaming have been banned in much of the country for many years. As many may have noticed though, there\u2019s been a little bit of a new normal in the last two years. The NBA could certainly capitalize on online wagering.<\/p>\n
That doesn\u2019t mean that online\u00a0casinos are suddenly fully legalized. But they\u00a0are\u00a0starting to appear, one state at a time. In some instances, this means both online\u00a0casino\u00a0gaming and\u00a0betting\u00a0activity are now permitted; in others, it\u2019s limited (for now) to\u00a0betting. Overall though, there\u2019s clear progress \u2014 and we think there are a number of ways the NBA could capitalize on it.<\/p>\n
A couple of years ago, when online sports betting was first emerging as a reality in America, news broke that the NBA\u00a0wanted a cut. Commissioner Adam Silver has been a supporter of expanded gambling possibilities. He\u2019s made it know that he wants the NBA to be involved. But he wants them to be entitled to a portion of betting revenue. There are a few ways for this to happen.<\/p>\n
The most exciting would be for the league itself to partner with an online casino to introduce an NBA betting app. This would reach fans far more directly. It could allow the league to work with the casino provider to go beyond basic odds and bets and include various mini-games, fantasy options, and so on.<\/p>\n
Where\u00a0casino\u00a0games have become legal, in addition to\u00a0betting\u00a0activity, sites are\u00a0marked by a variety of slot games that appeal to all kinds of gamers. Some of those slot games have sports-related themes. It\u2019s not a stretch at all to imagine similar gaming options based on basketball, and the NBA specifically. If the league allowed it, a game developer could even design a slot reel with official team logos and likenesses. Possibly even characters based on league stars.<\/p>\n
In large part, this would be a matter of atmosphere and aesthetics. The game would look and feel like an NBA product, making its slot content particularly appealing to basketball fans. However, some online slot games have mini-games as well, which is where a lot of the fun could be. Imagine hitting a slot reel jackpot, for instance, that enabled you to go through an arcade-style shooting exercise with a player of your choice, for extra winnings. There would be all kinds of possibilities of this nature.<\/p>\n
We mentioned that fantasy options could be included in a dedicated NBA betting app. One thing, in particular, that could be a hit would be long-term draft games on which fans could wager. Already, there\u2019s an appetite among NBA fans for revisiting old drafts. We recently posted a 2006 re-draft<\/a>, and renowned NBA Draft guru Chad Ford has recently established a new podcast doing the same sort of thing. Famed basketball writer Bill Simmons, too, has released a series of \u201cRedraftables\u201d podcasts examining old drafts during the NBA\u2019s 2020 hiatus.<\/p>\n So, since fans already like recapping past drafts, why not turn the interest into a game? An NBA\u00a0betting\u00a0app could introduce a whole new kind of fantasy game, allowing participants to draft players, and providing rewards based on those players\u2019 performance for years to come. This, with a wagering component, could be a hit.<\/p>\n In addition to the slot games and the possible fantasy options, NBA partnership with an online\u00a0casino\u00a0provider could also lead to new\u00a0casino\u00a0games altogether. That is to say, brand new\u00a0gambling\u00a0games could be designed around NBA concepts.<\/p>\n Some could be arcade-style shooting games like the ones we suggested above as slot machine mini-games. Others could be game simulators in which players could make team management decisions to affect outcomes. One need only look at\u00a0existing mobile basketball games\u00a0to see that there are all kinds of ways to create simple but enjoyable basketball arcade games. Whatever the specifics, such games would be a blast for basketball and\u00a0casino\u00a0enthusiasts alike.<\/p>\n Given all of the above, we\u2019d hope to see the NBA get in on the budding\u00a0casino\u00a0trend as soon as possible.<\/p>\n Main PhotoIntroduce New\u00a0Casino\u00a0Games<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>