How has NBA betting culture changed in the past decade?

Sports betting has experienced quite the rise in popularity over the past 10 years. In particular, basketball has made such major strides that it is one of the main sports betting pastimes for American sports bettors. Just as the sports betting landscape has witnessed some big changes over the past decade, so has the betting culture surrounding the NBA. 

Here are some of the most important ways that this massive industry has evolved.

More online betting markets

Though we’re looking at the past decade, it’s really been over the past five or six years that the biggest developments have taken place, especially regarding the online sports betting climate. Thanks to the rise of online casinos and online gambling in particular, online sports betting rose quickly in popularity as well.

The pandemic lockdowns of 2020 had a lot to do with people wanting to stay indoors, which is what triggered the rise of online casino apps. However, people already enjoyed watching sports from the comfort of their homes too, which made sports betting at home or on the go a very logical continuation.

With more online betting markets came more bet types to make. NBA fans have proven they love to make bets on a variety of outcomes, from former champions making a comeback to teams that have never played in the NBA finals, so there is always something interesting to wager your cash on.

More sportsbooks and bookkeepers

There’s no denying that the number of sportsbooks and bookkeepers that are around these days greatly outnumbers what was available a decade ago. Online casinos played a huge part in setting both the economic and legal groundwork for other online gambling sites to spring from. Fans of NBA sports betting owe a lot to the online casino industry as a result.

In other words, the number of sites and mobile apps that have popped up relating to NBA betting has skyrocketed. Whereas some people are longing for the NBA itself to be revitalized, the NBA betting market has already undergone huge innovations thanks to how competitive the scene has become.

In the past, NBA betting apps were sparse, lacking in functions and weren’t too pleasing to the eye. They also lacked many of the athlete endorsements that can be found all across social media and advertisements. Today, the best NBA sports betting apps are loaded with everything fans are looking for.

More sportsbooks are seen as a good thing to the community. It means more bet types, more competitive odds and more opportunities to find trustworthy places to wager your money.

The changing legal landscape

While online gambling in general has faced a lot of long legal battles, sports betting for the NBA had to deal with much more difficult roadblocks than usual.

In fact, NBA betting just a few years ago looked very different than it does today. There were so many regulations and even stigma in place that it was virtually impossible to thrive. However, just six years later with a revenue that is now 12 times larger, the laxer laws have been excellent for allowing NBA betting to find its natural place.

This is all thanks to the Supreme Court’s decision in 2018 to allow states to decide for themselves to allow or ban online gambling. As of 2025, 38 out of 50 states have legalized sports betting, meaning most of America now benefits from this huge change in betting culture.

Improved fan engagement

Online gambling and sports betting used to be a pretty solitary activity. Now with so many apps and sites emphasizing social media features and live streaming or chatting, sports betting has made major strides regarding fan engagement.

Sports betting has made a huge impact on sports culture at large. Not only do major sports commentators discuss betting tips, but there are podcasts entirely dedicated to discussing odds, betting strategies and other relevant factors such as athlete injuries and team acquisitions.

Sports bettors themselves are trying to stay engaged as fans as they feel it improves their gambling skills. Fan engagement means staying up to date on as many team news updates as possible, and this information is also valuable for making informed bets.

Rise of live wagering

Like the rise of live blackjack or poker among online casinos, more sports bettors are participating in live wagering, which offers its own take on the concept.

Many sportsbook apps now feature a live streaming function so you can watch a live match and bet on it at the same time. It often works by having viewers bet on prop bets that come up in the middle of the match depending on what’s just happened, but many of them also allow betting on standard wagers with odds adjusted to the remaining duration of the game.

Live wagering is seen by some as the most exciting form of sports betting as it offers the best of both worlds: you can watch your favorite teams play and try to guess their fate in the heat of the moment. It’s an amazing feature that the most diehard of sports fans tend to love.