David Stern LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 08: David Stern attends the BT Sport Industry Awards at Battersea Evolution on May 8, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

New NBA commissioner Adam Silver has been outspoken in his support for legalized gambling across the United States, and that fight has received an unlikely ally – Silver’s predecessor, David Stern.

At the Global Gaming Expo, held in Las Vegas near the end of September, Stern will be a featured speaker and will discuss the future of sports betting and gambling.  During his 30 year tenure leading the NBA, Stern was adamantly opposed to legalization, and as late as 2012, was still vehemently towing that line.

In deposition testimony in the New Jersey sports betting litigation, Stern said, “New Jersey’s contemplated sports betting scheme threatens to harm irreparably not only the unique relations the NBA enjoys with its existing fans, but also the league’s potential relationship with future fans, who may form allegiances to a particular team because they are drawn instead to the competing interest of the betting line and the money that can be made from it.”

Last October, Stern spoke at a New York City conference and supported Silver then, too.

“There should be a federal legislation that says, ‘Let’s go all the way’ and have betting on sports. It’s OK. It’s going to be properly regulated.”

The three commissioners of the other major sports are still opposed to widespread sports gambling legalization, but with the support of the current and former NBA commissioners, the movement is certainly gaining notable steam.

Earlier this week, New Jersey’s attempt to legalize sports betting was struck down by an appeals court.

[ESPN]

About Matt Lichtenstadter

Recent Maryland graduate. I've written for many sites including World Soccer Talk, GianlucaDiMarzio.com, Testudo Times, Yahoo's Puck Daddy Blog and more. Houndstooth is still cool, at least to me. Follow me @MattsMusings1 on Twitter, e-mail me about life and potential jobs at matthewaaron9 at Yahoo dot com.