USA Sports Betting - Legal Sports Gambling is Finally Here PokerLaws.Org

In a monumental decision that was handed down on May 14th, 2018, the United States Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), a 1992 law would ban state-authorized sports betting across the nation. The small exception from that statute would be the state of Nevada, which became the ONLY location in the USA where you could bet on sports since its enactment.

The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down PASPA was made via a 6-3 decision, after months of deliberations brought forward by the state of New Jersey. “Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects not to do so, each State is free to act on its own,” the court expressed during its opinion on the matter. “Our job is to interpret the law Congress has enacted and decide whether it is consistent with the Constitution. PASPA is not.”

The Impact of the Supreme Court’s Decision?

The impact of the overturning of PAPSA should be immediate and very widespread. Nevada had a monopoly on the legal sports betting market for over 2 decades, with the state taking in over $4.8 billion worth of bets in 2017 alone.

With the subsequent dismissal of the 1992 law, many states across the country will be making immediate strides to put forth legal sports gambling bills into play.

It is expected that New Jersey and Pennsylvania will be implementing their already-passed sports betting framework within their state’s boundaries by the end of 2018. As both states have much higher populations that that of Nevada, it seems to be a foregone conclusion that legalized sports betting will be big-time business in these locales by 2020 and beyond.

Roughly a dozen states have already introduced similar sports betting bills comparable to New Jersey and Pennsylvania, with the ones having the furthest amount of process being:

• Delaware
• Connecticut
• West Virginia
• Mississippi

In addition, one research firm concluded that more than 30 states might have legal sports gambling options available to its residents by 2023 alone. This could mean some SERIOUS money flowing into the state’s revenue streams, depending on how much operators and bettors alike are taxed.

Illegal sports betting exceeded over $150 million in 2017. Nevada took in almost $5 billion worth of bets in the same year. Around the world, billions more flowed through the online sports betting pipeline.

Now imagine that kind of money going back into the state’s respective annual revenue stream. It could potentially mean tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars in added yearly revenue for the states moving forward.

Mobile Sports Betting in the United States

As states now scramble to put in sports betting legislation into their respective agendas down the road (probably a lot sooner than later), the real question is: Will I be able to bet using my phone?

The short answer is “No,” but only because when states begin to roll out their own sports betting initiatives, it is expected most will have you physically go a brick and mortar casino or legal bookmaker to place your wager.

However, the eventual answer to the above question is “Yes” – a THOUSAND times “Yes!” 

This is because it is no surprise that technology, especially through smartphones and tablets, have consumed everyday life for people in the United States and abroad.

Players in Nevada utilize betting apps on their mobile phones daily, with the whole process taking literally less than 5 minutes to deposit money, choosing your bet and submitting the wager.

Industry experts expect that mobile wagering will pretty much take over by 2025, if not sooner. It should only take states a couple months to obtain licenses and the proper software to take these types of bets via your mobile device, but rest assured it will happen – and a lot sooner than you think.

Are the Major Sports Leagues Against Legal Sports Betting in the US?

As of right now, the answer to this is somewhat clouded. However, not because there are leagues out there that are 100% against legalization, but more so because many have stayed neutral on the issue, albeit with more major league associations seemingly showing positive interest in the matter.

For example, the NBA and MLB have made it no secret that they fully support legal sports betting, with both organizations having launched full lobbying efforts in multiple states in 2017.

As a matter of fact, each of these leagues spearheaded national interest in getting PAPSA overturned and are big proponents of legalized sports gambling, provided that proper stipulations are put in that make it even more beneficial to these entities down the road.

Representatives for the NFL, NHL and NCAA have been surprisingly mum in the months leading to the Supreme Court’s decision, but it is highly doubtful they will make any serious objections to the ruling.

The PGA Tour, MLS and the UFC have also voiced positive opinions about legalization for a while now as well.

 

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