Official betting is when sportsbooks accept bets on events that have been officially sanctioned by the sport’s governing body. This is different from unofficial betting, which takes place at independent bookmakers. The goal of the governing bodies is to ensure that betting is conducted fairly and within their regulations.

In a world where the integrity of the game is constantly under threat, it’s important for sportsbooks to stay on top of the latest developments and make sure that they are operating legally. The latest development is the “war over data” that is raging between sports leagues and legal sportsbooks. This has been covered extensively by Sports Handle and boils down to sports leagues wanting to monetize the data that is collected on their games.

The NBA’s New Rules on Betting

In an effort to clean up betting, the NBA has updated its rules pertaining to wagering on its games. The changes go into effect this season and limit the amount that bettors can win on a single team to 20% of the total money wagered. The NBA also will no longer allow bettors to make multiple wagers on the same game.

In addition to limiting the maximum winnings on individual bets, the NBA is now requiring that sportsbooks use only official stats when accepting bets. This is meant to help prevent corruption and fraud. The NBA has partnered with companies like Sportsbook Analytics to provide data to its licensed sportsbooks.