The Growth Trajectory of Sports Gambling in the US
For decades, American sports bettors did whatever they could to bet on sports. If they could find a local bookie, illicit gambling was not out of the question. When offshore online sports gambling sites became available, there was a large population of sports gamblers who went in that direction. All told, gambling analysts rightfully estimated American sports gamblers were wagering somewhere in the vicinity of $150 billion a year on sports through said sources. This was long considered an untapped revenue resource for gambling operators in the US that wanted to get their hands on all that action.
Their wildest dreams came true in May of 2018 when the US Supreme Court ruled that the country’s ban on sports betting outside of Nevada was unconstitutional under “state’s rights” provisions. With the states now in control of sports gambling for its residents, it didn’t take long for some of the more aggressive states to immediately jump on the sports betting bandwagon. Along with accessing online casino review sites like https://play.casino/free-slots/, gamblers suddenly have reason to visit US sports book review sites.
Among the states that immediately went forward with sports betting legislation were Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, states that joined Nevada as the first and only states to allow sports gambling. Soon after, a number of other states made their move. Much of the motivation for legislators in other states to consider allowing its residents to bet on sports came from the success New Jersey has been having in this area, plus the potential for much needed tax revenues.
Sports Gambling in America Today
Currently, fifteen states have already passed the required legislation to allow its residents to bet on sports events from all over the world. While sports books in six states are already accepting bets, there are bookmakers in at least six other states that are looking to go live by the beginning of the 2019 NFL football season, which is only two weeks away.
With the excitement among sports bettors increasing all over the country, there’s a lot of pressure being brought to bear on the states that haven’t yet moved forward with sports betting legalization. It’s going to be difficult for state legislators in those states to justify not moving quickly on sports betting legislation when state residents start flocking to neighboring states to place bets on US sports events.
There are obstacles for some states. Florida, Connecticut and California have tight affiliations with Tribal gambling operators. States like Utah and Alaska have close ties to religious beliefs, which make the legalization of any form of gambling an uphill battle. Still, the trend through most states indicates sports betting are on the horizon.
Experts estimate that at least 25 US states will have passed sports betting legislation by the end of 2019. Furthermore, a number of states will be moving forward to legalize online sports gambling as well. When all is said and done, each state will have to decide if they are in or out. For those that are out for the time being, there will be a reckoning in the years to come.
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