RacingBetter News
	Thursday 15th November 2018

How Legislation Is Making Gambling More Accessible

It appears that a change is on the horizon in the United States in the approach to gambling and the law. Earlier in 2018, the supreme court eradicated a federal law which prohibited betting on sports in the majority of states, meaning that states around the country now have the option to legalize betting on any kind of sport. It was ruled 6-3 to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act which was established in 1992 with Nevada being the only state where somebody could bet on a single sports match. It is thought that 32 states may allow sports betting within 5 years.

New Jersey Wins

It was the state of New Jersey that was pushing for this decision and was backed by a number of other states. They argued that Congress exceeded its authority with the 1992 act and that Congress can’t require to individual states to keep sports gambling prohibitions in place. New Jersey has spent vast sums of money on legal fees to legalize sports betting and were able to challenge the 1992 act but ultimately lost in court. States like New Jersey and others with casinos and racetracks will now be able to attract a lot more tourists, but there are still many that oppose the decision, including many of the major sports leagues and various state lawmakers.

Online Sports Betting

It will be interesting now to see if there will be any other changes soon. Online gambling is strictly regulated in the United States due to the 1961 Federal Wire Act which outlaws interstate wagering on sports but does not refer to other types of gambling, and this has resulted in many court cases. Meanwhile, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 only outlaws financial transactions involving online gambling service providers and does not prohibit online gambling. This means that some gambling providers continue to serve US customers from overseas.

Accessible Gambling

The rise of gambling using the internet and mobile devices around the world has made it more accessible than ever before. Currently, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware are the only places where people can gamble online but this could all change in the near future following the supreme court’s latest ruling. Respected gambling providers like Unibet online casino can make it incredibly easy and straightforward for somebody to enjoy a wide range of casino games whether they are at home or on the move, but this accessibility has both benefits and drawbacks. On the one hand, legalized gambling could generate enormous sums in state and local tax revenues, but there is also the concern that it can lead to compulsive gambling, increased political corruption, and higher crime rates.

The supreme court striking down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 is a huge turning point for gambling in the United States. It is expected that many states will now legalize sports betting over the next few years and this could change the landscape for other types of betting in the near future.