“ There is no doubt that the limit has been crossed. » Thus is expressed JB Bickerstaffahead of the game against the Heat last night, on a relatively little-publicized issue: the direct impact of the world of sports betting on the protagonists present on and around the floor.
The Cavs coach says he can no longer count the number of times when, with his team leading by so many points, he was shouted at, telling him to leave his best players on the field to reach a gap favorable to the bettors. “ It's ridiculous “, he describes.
But there are even worse things: threats. “ They got my phone number and sent me crazy messages telling me about where I lived, my kids and everything else. It is therefore a dangerous game, the dividing line is very fine, clearly », Judges the coach, specifying that he made a report to the league. The bettor who had sent him the threats was subsequently located.
Protecting game players
This subject comes to the table as Tyrese Haliburton also spoke on the issue on Wednesday evening, declaring that he sometimes feels like a “ accessory », intended to delight punters. Issues which, coupled with the liberalization of speech in the rooms, complicate the situation for players, coaches or referees.
“ It adds pressure, it brings a distraction to the game which can be difficult for […] everyone involved. We really have to be careful how we let this relate to the game and the safety of the people involved in it. Because, once again, this has weight. Quite often, punters pay their electricity bill or rent with this money, and there are the emotions that come with it. We are on a tightrope, we must exercise extreme caution to protect everyone involved », Claims JB Bickerstaff.
The latter, while fans can bet directly from their phone and within the Rocket Mortage FieldHouse, considers that the line between betting and gaming has never been so narrow.
“ But again, I understand the business side of it and the nature of the business. But this is something that I think has gone too far », he finishes.
