In the wake of a recent federal investigation into former Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley on allegations of gambling related to NBA games and prop bets, Silver said that legalized sports gambling was still preferable to the alternative. “If my choice were legalized sports betting vs. illegal sports betting, I still think a legalized structure is better,” Silver said. “What we’re seeing now in some of the investigations you’re referencing is operational data, which causes in many cases, betting companies or independent agencies who are overseeing this betting activity to raise flags and say what’s happening here? “I think the issue is if you didn’t have that legalized structure, what would otherwise be going on that went undetected?”