Report: NBA has been in negotiations with global sports betting companies

The NBA is now doing more than just publicly supporting the legalization and regulation of sports betting.

The league has also been in negotiations with multiple global sports betting companies in search of an official league partner, according to a report from Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report. The report indicates that the league wants an official partner for Europe's regulated markets, which allow for betting on American sports.

As a source told Zwerling, the NBA is looking to the EPL for best practices - and results - as they dip their toe into the water:

The NBA has seen the success that English Premier League soccer clubs have had with sports betting operators, and they're following that same model. They've seen the naming rights and the size of those deals, and they understand that it's an opportunity to open up another revenue stream overseas, in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Commissioner Adam Silver has been very clear that he supports eventual sports gambling in the United States, with the NBPA throwing their support behind the idea as well. Silver believes that gambling improves engagement and therefore is good for business. He also believes legalization and government regulation could help with potential conflicts rather than create them.

Preaching a pragmatic approach, Silver has been alone among North American commissioners but hasn't wavered. It now appears the NBA is preparing in earnest for what they feel is an eventuality, and they'll be ahead of the curve when and if overseas money begins coming stateside.