The Legalization of Sports Betting – What you need to know
As we anxiously await the Court hearing in New Jersey, the United States of America is rapidly preparing for the legalization of Sports Betting as if its a foregone conclusion. Major TV networks are hiring staff educated in Betting circles and actively expanding there current platforms to extend to Sports Bettors. The NBA, MLB and NFL are all hiring compliance staff and lawyers to protect the so called integrity of there respective sports, which i find upsetting… A so called integrity fee is to be proposed to Sports Books the NBA and Adam Silver have put a 1% price tag on it and think that is fair for them to protect the sport. My question to the NBA and Mr Silver is by legalizing Sports Betting we are protecting the integrity of the sport for you! Sports books survive on profit not turnover and compliance is one of the strongest arms of a bookmaker especially taken form the European, UK markets. The integrity is in fact failing as we speak as an estimated $10 Billion dollars a year is bet on the NBA which is currently ungoverned, unlicensed and lines the pocket of the black market.
Legalizing Betting for the NBA not only protects its integrity, increases Advertising dollars, sells out stadiums and engages fans to watch games that typically wouldn’t normally have time for, it will ultimately bolster the sports engagement on a daily basis. Legalization is the only integrity.
Scheduled Supreme Court Ruling Dates
The Supreme Court maintains a schedule for when it releases its decisions, but can also add additional decision dates to the calendar between formally scheduled dates. The dates for the current term are as follows:
April 2 and 30;
May 14, 21 and 29;
June 4, 11, 18 and 29.
How Close Is My State to legalization?
Already Legal
1. Nevada
The only state to permit a wide variety of legal sports betting, Nevada is a mature market that has existed for decades. Many states might look to Nevada for the best practices in the regulation of sports betting. If cross-state sports bets were found to be permitted under federal law, Nevada could even be designated as a national hub of sorts, via agreements with other states on topics such as oversight, liquidity, line monitoring and risk management.
At the Mound
2. New Jersey
Existing casinos and racetracks could probably start offering legal sports betting to customers within days or weeks of a favorable decision from the Supreme Court. One sportsbook in Monmouth Park already has been built and is just waiting to open its ticket counters. Other casinos in the state have announced plans to build sports books in existing Atlantic City locations too.
3. Delaware
The state moved to expand its existing sports betting options in 2009, but that effort was stopped by a lawsuit filed against the state by the NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA and MLB. The Delaware enabling law could be restarted, with the state’s lottery already offering parlay betting options on professional football. State officials have expressed an openness to pursue various options after the Supreme Court rules.
On Deck
4-9. Connecticut, Iowa, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia
All of these states either already have enacted state laws to allow sports betting if permitted by the Supreme Court or have fast-tracked legislation, with hearings already having taken place and, in some cases, advanced beyond the committee stage.
On the Sidelines Ready to get in Play
10-22. California, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and South Carolina
Each state has introduced kick-starter legislation (or publicly announced plans to do so), with hearings and votes on the bills moving forward at different speeds.
Transform From the Minors to the Majors
23-24. Oregon and Montana
Both states have laws on the books that permit some form of sports betting and probably could be widened in scope, if lawmakers are so inclined. The Oregon Lottery offered its pick ’em-style game for years before mothballing it about a decade ago. The Montana Lottery currently offers a fantasy-type sports pool for football and auto racing.
Spectators
25-50. Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., Washington State, Wisconsin and Wyoming
All states in this category have laws that prohibit Nevada-style sports betting. Such laws would need to be repealed or amended before full-scale sports wagering would be permitted. These states do not have any publicly announced bills devoted to sports betting legalization.
Not a Chance
51. Utah
Utah’s anti-gambling stance is written into the state’s constitution. Any change to existing state policy toward gambling would be a massive departure from decades of opposition to any form of gambling, including lottery tickets, table games and sports betting.
