Sport

NZ NBL launches crackdown on 'courtsiding'

16:21 pm on 30 May 2014

The New Zealand National Basketball League have launched a crackdown on courtsiding at their games.

Courtsiding is a practice where spectators relay instant information about games to gamblers to give them an edge on bookmakers.

The league has sent a letter to the teams urging them to eject people engaging in the practice from the venues and trespass them from future games.

The league's chairman Sam Rossiter-Stead says they became aware of the issue a few days ago and says it's very easy to detect who's involved.

He says while the practice isn't technically illegal in New Zealand, it's highly undesirable.

Rossiter-Stead says the New Zealand TAB have assisted their investigations and haven't observed any unusual betting patterns.