While the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) has long been the main obstacle blocking sports gambling throughout most of the country, it’s the major professional sports leagues that have promptly stomped out any efforts to bring sports betting to the forefront. Several states have tried to implement some form of sports betting—even ones that are already exempted from PASPA—but have been met by legal actions brought on by the various leagues. There are still some states pushing for sports gambling, and the ambitious move has been consistent enough to corner the leagues into taking notice of the popular demand.
For example, Oregon, one of four states exempted from PASPA, tried hosting Sports Action, a parlay game, through their Lottery but were quickly challenged by the NBA, NFL and NCAA. This forced Oregon into dropping Sports Action, showcasing the influence the major leagues hold over the subject. Rightly so, as they are the controlling forces behind the teams that people are betting on, but as sports gambling has developed, the fiscal and promotional advantages have become readily apparent. Sports gambling is a lucrative industry, with most of the profits going to illegal sportsbooks and bookies. A concise and properly regulated platform would garner profits for the leagues and for the individual states that have some form of sports betting. Allowing sports betting would also encourage viewership and involvement with the sports leagues, as bettors would be more invested in following their teams and teams around the various leagues.
States like New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland, to name a few, have put together legislation in preparation for PASPA’s repeal and a sports gambling open market. Daily Fantasy Sports have exploded in popularity, prompting legislation and legal action in states across the country. Some DFS companies even have equity in NFL teams, creating a conflict of interest for the league (even though the league itself doesn’t support DFS outright) and a general sense of contradiction when trying to justify any arguments against sports gambling. The NHL just brought a franchise to Las Vegas, the heart of American sports betting, and there were plans to bring an NFL franchise to Sin City earlier this year.
This growing popularity and the realization of how much money is involved within the industry, some of the leagues have changed their positions regarding sports betting. The NBA is currently the most supportive league, with Commissioner Adam Silver stating on record his opinion that PASPA should be repealed or amended. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred recently spoke at a conference on how the league would be “reexamining” their stance on sports gambling. The NHL has been notoriously quiet on the subject, most likely waiting out the situation to see what happens with the other leagues. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has long been against sports gambling, citing the integrity of the game being at risk. The consensus, as seen by Silver and many other proponents of legalization, is that sports betting already takes place through underground channels, so the best move would to just embrace the industry and bring it to light.
President Trump even discussed the possibility of legalizing sports gambling, but only after discussing the topic with the league commissioners and the proper authorities. Arizona sports gambling happens through offshore sportsbooks—all legally sanctioned and operate similar to Nevada sportsbooks—but there’s potential for the state to get some form of state sponsored sports betting should PASPA be repealed. If the momentum keeps growing through the various states pushing for legalization and the leagues keep softening their resolve on the matter, sports gambling will have a new landscape soon enough.