Tennis Faces Growing Betting Integrity Concerns as Insider Calls on ATP and WTA to Act Like NBA

Jon Wertheim has thrown down a challenge to the ATP and WTA. Match-fixing has long haunted tennis, but the issue is no longer confined to the lower ranks, especially now that the US Open has teamed up with betting companies. Wertheim didn’t stop there; he pulled the NBA into the conversation, raising the question: will tennis follow suit?

Calls for Restricting Risky Bets

Wertheim took to X, urging tennis to impose limits similar to those in basketball: restrict microbets and ban wagers on challenger-level players and below. He pointed out that many convicted match-fixers from the @itia_tennis have rankings under 1000. His message was clear: the ball’s in the court of the @atptour, @WTA, and @worldtennis.

NBA Sets a New Standard

This week, the NBA limited bets on who scores the first basket and on players expected to play less than 12 minutes per game. In letters sent to sportsbooks like FanDuel, DraftKings, and Fanatics, the league spelled out these new restrictions.

Additionally, Dan Spillane, the league’s governance chief, announced plans for expanded training led by former NFL player Charles Tillman, aiming to educate every team on integrity issues.

Protecting Players Beyond the Court

The league also addressed threats and harassment faced by players linked to betting outcomes. The updated NBA Fan Code of Conduct now explicitly warns against betting-related abuse.

“Whether it’s called a prediction market or sports betting, the issues remain the same,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told CNBC. “Integrity comes first for all leagues.”

Tennis Takes Steps but Falls Short

Unlike the NBA, the ATP and WTA have not yet rolled out measures on such a scale. Still, with more betting sponsorships entering tennis, the tours have launched some initiatives.

Starting in the 2027 season, tournaments with betting sponsors must ensure these partners contribute 10% of their contract toward player welfare programs. These funds aim to protect players’ safety, health, and well-being.

New rules also tackle online abuse and the ongoing gambling challenges, attempting to shield players both on and off the court.

Betting Partners Remain Despite Concerns

These moves suggest the tours don’t see betting as normal, yet it remains to be seen if they’ll stop events from partnering with betting companies. This season, tournaments such as the Davis Cup, Nordic Open, Miami Open, Madrid Open, and US Open all had betting partners.

Whether the number of such sponsorships will decline in 2027 due to the new rules is still an open question.

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