Supreme Court Rules In Favour Of Sports Betting
May 15, 2018
The US Supreme Court has ruled that states can legalise sports betting.
The court has upheld the legality of a 2014 New Jersey law permitting sports betting at casinos and racetracks across the state.
For the past 25 years, gambling on sport has only been legalised in Nevada and, to a lesser extent, Montana, Delaware, and Oregon.
The ruling now paves the way for other states to legalise sports betting.
The American Gaming Association estimates that at least $150BN (£111BN) is gambled annually in the US, with 97 percent of that being wagered illegally.
‘The legalisation of sports gambling requires an important policy choice, but the choice is not ours to make,’ Justice Samuel Alito wrote on behalf of the court.
‘Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects not to do so, each state is free to act on its own.’
Ted Leonsis, the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, said in a statement: “It brings a multibillion-dollar industry out of the shadows and into the sunlight, where its integrity can be guaranteed, and consumers can be better protected. I believe today’s decision will change the face of sports fandom for the better.”