Legalization of Sports Gambling

Last updated on: May 15, 2018 at 11:41 am by Kermit Zarley

Legalization of Sports Gambling 2018-05-15T11:41:55-07:00 Kermit Zarley

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court made sport gambling legal in all fifty states by declaring unconstitutional a 1992 federal law known as Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) and thus ruling against the NCAA in the case Murphy v. NCAA. The Court therefore dismissed arguments by the NCAA, professional sports leagues, and even the Department of Justice. Thus, each state will be able to decide whether sports betting is legal or illegal and regulate this business accordingly. Of course, this is a huge change for American sports, both on the collegiate and professional levels.

This case began when Chris Christie was still governor of New Jersey. It happened because gambling casinos are big business in New Jersey, second only to Nevada. Christie brought the case because New Jersey casinos were losing money. The case originally was titled Christie v. National Collegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA and other amateur sports organizations have always been against legalized sports betting. The primary reason is that it becomes more tempting for athletes to secretly throw games because they have a vested gambling interest in the outcome of the competition.

Previously, the only U.S. states in which sports gambling was legal were Nevada since 1949 and more recently in Delaware, Montana, and Oregon. In a referendum in 2011, New Jersey voters overwhelmingly passed a law legalizing sports betting and thus in defiance of PASPA. In 2012, the NCAA and all major pro sports organizations–NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL–sued New Jersey. It argued in court hearings that the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution made PASPA unconstitutional. It is about federal versus state authority. So, yesterday, the Supreme Court agreed with New Jersey.

Some pro sports leagues had been changing their position about this matter. It may have been prompted because of the Internet. U.S. sports gambling on the Internet is now reportedly a $150 billion business annually. Of course, government agencies neither regulate nor tax this revenue.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver had previously advocated that the federal government legalize and regulate sports betting. Apparently, the PGA Tour had as well. Yesterday, the PGA Tour issued this statement, “Following the Supreme Court’s ruling today, the PGA Tour reiterates its support of the regulation of sports betting in a safe and responsible manner. We believe that regulation is the most effective way of ensuring integrity in competition, protecting consumers, engaging fans and generating revenue for government, operators and league.”

Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, said of this ruling, “I think everybody who owns a top-four professional sports team just basically saw the value of their team double at least. It feels good.”

It seems sensible to me that if sports betting will now be legal in all fifty states, the U.S. Congress should step in and pass a federal law regulating this business. Otherwise, states having so many different laws about it would seem chaotic. Either way, it sure is going to be a big change in sports, both amateur and professional.

Golf

Sports Gambling

Previous Post

May 14, 2018

U.S. Embassy Celebration at Jerusalem Is a Mistake

Next Post

May 17, 2018 Thomas Friedman Is Right about the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Angels Billy Graham Blog Description Book Reviews Christian Living Christianity Christology Church History Current Events Deity of Christ? Disarmament Eschatology Evangelicalism Ezekiel 38-39 Film Reviews God Golf Gospel Harmonization Health History Holy Spirit Incarnation? Interview Islam Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Jesus Last Empire Literary Announcements Major Championship Winners Masters Monotheism My Books New Testament Old Testament Politics Primitive Weapons Ryder Cup Science Society of Biblical Literature The Bible The Restitution of Jesus Christ Trinitarianism Trinity? Uncategorized Unconditional Love? War on Terrorism

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who prophesied the virgin birth?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Ezekiel Jeremiah Daniel Isaiah

Books by This Author Books by Kermit Zarley Blog

See All Titles »