US Supreme Court overturns sports betting ban, opening possibilities
Sportsbooks in New Jersey are open for business after the Supreme Court overturned an existing decision that clears states to regulate sports gambling in a landmark decision handed down on Monday.
Only Nevada was exempt from the 1992 federal gambling law – the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act – prohibiting any state from the ability to “sponsor, operate, advertise, promote, license, or authorize by law” sports wagering.
The American Gaming Association estimates that Americans illegal ly wager about $150 billion annually.
“The legalization of sports gambling requires an important policy choice, but the choice is not ours to make. Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects not to do so, each state is free to act on its own. Our job is to interpret the law Congress has enacted and decide whether it is consistent with the Constitution. PASPA is not,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the court.
New Jersey, which is already set up for single-game betting at some facilities while awaiting legalization, including Monmouth Park racetrack and numerous casinos, had lost multiple decisions before the case made it to the Supreme Court.
The NBA has taken a progressive view on gambling, investing in sports data and gambling integrity services company Sportradar.
Commissioner Adam Silver has teamed with Major League Baseball in lobbying individual states for what would be viewed as an “integrity fee” owed the sports leagues. Whether the Supreme Court decision Monday creates or reduces the need for an agreement with pro sports leagues is open for debate.
Silver said in a statement Monday that the NBA is in favor “of a federal framework that would provide a uniform approach to sports gambling in states that choose to permit it, but we will remain active in ongoing discussions with state legislatures.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called on congress to establish “core regulatory framework” for legalized sports betting in a statement issued Monday afternoon.
Goodell said during Super Bowl pregame in February that the NFL would be focused on integrity. The league has a long-standing adversarial take on sports betting and was part of a lawsuit against New Jersey to block Monday’s decision.
In a statement Monday the NCAA implied it would recognize the decision on PASPA.
“While we are still reviewing the decision to understand the overall implications to college sports, we will adjust sports wagering policies to align with the direction from the court.”
MLB called for federal legislation to backstop any state gambling initiatives cleared following the Supreme Court ruling.
“Today’s decision by the United States Supreme Court will have profound effects on Major League Baseball,” a statement from the league read. “As each state considers whether to allow sports betting, we will continue to seek the proper protections for our sport, in partnership with other professional sports.” (Reuters)