Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown has expressed serious concerns about the effects of legalized sports betting on NBA players and the league as a whole. His remarks come amid ongoing fallout from a federal sports betting investigation, which has already led to arrests and suspensions.
“That whole world was introduced a couple of years ago, and I don’t think they took players into consideration, especially the energy and the behavior that goes around gambling, and how that directly correlates with players,” Brown said when discussing the current sports betting climate.
He added: “We don’t benefit from any of the profits, but we’ve got to deal with a lot of the extra negativity and scrutiny behind all the gambling. On top of that, it creates more integrity issues. It’s definitely something that people gotta spend more time having conversations about.”
The NBA has faced heightened scrutiny following the Department of Justice’s “Operation Royal Flush,” a federal investigation that has implicated figures such as Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups in alleged betting-related misconduct, including rigged poker games and sharing inside information.
Ending on a lighter note, Brown offered a direct message to fans and bettors: “Don’t bet on me. I’ll tell you that right now,” he said with a smile.
