(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-10-26 10:51

NEW YORK - US National Basketball Association commissioner David Stern acknowledged Thursday that more than half of the league's 56 referees had violated policies about casino gambling, but said none will be punished because he felt the rules were outdated.

Instead, Stern said he is altering the policies, leaning toward allowing referees to gamble in casinos during the offseason - except for betting with sports bookmakers.

The league's strict gambling policies became public during a scandal involving referee Tim Donaghy, who pleaded guilty in August to accepting cash from gamblers for game information and betting on games he officiated.

The NBA currently prevents its officials from entering the gaming area of a casino, or any gambling except for horse racing at tracks during the offseason.

But Stern admitted he did a poor job of enforcing the policies, and with views toward gambling changing, decided he wouldn't "penalize people for behavior that I'm about to change."

"And by the time I got through and I determined going into a casino isn't a capital offense ... I'm the CEO of the NBA and I'll take responsibility," Stern said.

Stern also said Stu Jackson and Ronnie Nunn, in charge of monitoring officiating, will both have their roles altered. But he stressed they were being "expanded" rather than demotions - even though Jackson's job now will be divided between two people.