The WNBA has removed a social media video featuring Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers discussing a $400 wager on the outcome of their matchup, prompting questions about the league’s gambling policy.
The video, which was posted to the league’s official social media accounts, showed Reese and Bueckers agreeing to a friendly $400 bet over which player’s team would come out on top when the Atlanta Dream and Dallas Wings met. The post quickly gained traction online before being deleted by the WNBA.
While the league has not publicly explained why the video was removed, the deletion came after fans pointed to WNBA rules prohibiting players from wagering on league games.
According to the WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, the league maintains a strict policy regarding gambling on WNBA contests. Section 5(c) states:
“Any player found by the Commissioner after a hearing to have been guilty of wagering (directly or indirectly), or of offering or attempting to wager, money or anything of value on the outcome, score, or any other aspect of any WNBA Competition shall, in the sole discretion of the Commissioner, be subject to a fine, suspension, and/or dismissal and disqualification from any further association with the WNBA.”
The rule makes clear that the league’s prohibition extends beyond simply betting on a game’s winner. It also applies to wagering on the score or any other aspect of a WNBA contest.
It is also important to distinguish league policy from state law. Sports betting may be legal in many jurisdictions across the United States, but WNBA players are contractually bound by the league’s gambling policy, which can impose standards that are more restrictive than local law.
At this time, the WNBA has not announced that either Reese or Bueckers violated the league’s gambling policy, nor has the league indicated that it has opened an investigation or is considering disciplinary action. Likewise, neither player has publicly commented on the deleted post.
The incident has nevertheless sparked debate across social media. Some fans viewed the exchange as harmless banter between two of the league’s brightest young stars, while others questioned whether even a friendly wager between players should be publicly promoted by the league given its gambling policy.
As of now, the WNBA has not issued an official statement explaining why the video was removed.
Sneaker Shop Talk will continue to monitor the story and provide updates should the league address the matter or announce any further developments.
