SIUE Business Insights: Ariel Belasen, PhD

SIUE Business Insights: Ariel Belasen, PhD

SIUE Economist Examines Sports Betting's Impact on NBA Officiating
This monthly series highlights SIUE School of Business faculty whose research and expertise help organizations, industries, and communities better understand today's business challenges.

As legalized sports betting becomes an increasingly visible part of professional athletics, questions about transparency, integrity, and public trust are taking on new business significance. Ariel Belasen, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Economics and Finance at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, brings an economist's perspective to that debate through research examining NBA officiating and betting markets.

Belasen's article, "With the game on the (betting) line: NBA referee performance in the last two minutes," published in the Journal of Sports Economics, studies whether gambling partnerships and betting-market conditions are associated with changes in referee performance. The study uses the NBA's last two-minute reports, which review calls and non-calls late in close games for accuracy.

The results suggest that in games with narrower betting margins, referees made 23% fewer incorrect calls against visiting underdogs and 42% fewer incorrect calls against home underdogs. Belasen's research has attracted attention from the betting world. For example, nbarefbetting.com recently wrote, "It is like the referees are just trying not to be seen so they don't have to decide the game with a whistle." The findings do not suggest that referees intentionally favor underdogs or manipulate games. Instead, Belasen argues that they point to the need for more research into the external pressures that may shape officiating decisions.

The research has implications beyond the basketball court. As sports betting becomes more deeply embedded in the fan experience, professional leagues, gaming operators, advertisers, and consumers all have a stake in maintaining confidence in the fairness of competition. Even the perception that betting activity could influence outcomes may affect consumer trust, brand credibility, and the business model surrounding professional sports.

PHOTO: Ariel Belasen, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Economics and Finance at SIUE

For media inquiries, consulting opportunities or research collaborations related to this work or other areas of business expertise, contact Edmund Hershberger, Associate Dean of the SIUE School of Business, at [email protected]. The School welcomes opportunities to connect faculty expertise with organizations, industry partners and community members seeking research-informed insight into today's business challenges.