For sports lovers, there is nothing that can quite top the feeling of your team winning. Except when you win a little money on the side because of a well-timed bet. Up until a few months ago in the United States, though, that bet could have landed you in hot water.
Thanks to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, betting on sports was illegal in all states except for Montana, Nevada, Delaware, and Oregon.
This law was challenged by the state of New Jersey in 2009, resulting in a legal back and forth between the state and various professional sporting organizations. After almost ten years of legal wrangling, the Supreme Court finally ruled that the PASPA legislation was unconstitutional.
The court went on to note that states should have the right to choose whether or not to allow sports betting. Many states have already opted to change their legislation to legalize betting, but not all have yet. So, before you head off to your bookie, do check that it is legal in your state.
If you’re not sure, check the infographic provided by NJ games. You’ll learn which states betting is now legal in, where it is still illegal, and which states are making legislative changes.
Want a sneak peek? So far, only one state has flat out banned gambling on sports. If you want to find out which state that is, you’ll need to read through the infographic.
But that’s not the only information on there. It is packed with other interesting facts as well. You will learn how the legal process progressed from start to finish alongside many NJ sports betting related aspects.
Is legalization a good or bad thing? Well, it depends on the way you look at it. Proponents state that choosing to bet or not is a thing of personal freedom and each person should make their own choice. They also point out that there are several other potential benefits.
It can help to boost the local economy and create more jobs. The state benefits through increased tax revenue and punters benefit because of better regulation of the industry. Opponents are concerned about issues surrounding gambling addiction.
Which side of the fence are you on?
