FEATURE: PGA TOUR
LONG & STRAIGHT The PGA Tour on their involvement in Betting on Golf by Bill Healey
F
or almost as long as golf has been around, golfing enthusiasts have placed wagers on their game as well as on professional tournaments. As betting on sports
integrity in competition, protecting consumers and generating revenue for government, operators and leagues. We also believe that safe, responsible sports betting and gaming presents opportunities for audience
in general has really skyrocketed in recent years, the same is true with organized betting on professional golf. Sports Betting Operator is fortunate to have an exclusive interview with the PGA Tour’s Norb Gambuzza, SVP, Media Business Development.
development and fan engagement, and we are always looking for ways to further engage our fans.
What has been the historical stance of the PGA Tour on betting on competitions? Previously, sports betting in the U.S. was illegal and unregulated. The TOUR supports the regulation of sports betting in the U.S. The prohibition of sports betting in the U.S. created a widespread black market and we believe regulation is a more effective way of ensuring 20
What has led to the PGA Tour’s move into betting? In anticipation of the 2018 Supreme Court ruling that struck down PASPA, and in collaboration with many of the other major leagues, we started to think about how we would operate in this space in a way that makes sense for our brand, our business and stakeholders. We started with the institution of our integrity program in late-2017, designed to educate our stakeholders and protect all of our tournaments across all tours from potential outside influences sportsbettingoperator.com
