After years of sports betting or gambling being outlawed across the United States, the Supreme Court made a historic decision this morning that could change the world of sports forever.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Supreme Court voted to overturn the ban on sports gambling this morning.
The Supreme Court has just ruled 7-2 to overturn the federal ban on sports gambling. It's a historic day in American sport.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) May 14, 2018
Banned by the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, gambling in sports will now be able to resurface in a much more public way.
A major milestone for the extensive black market that is sports gambling, there was already plenty of betting going on prior to this ruling anyway. However, this decision will effectively now allow states to make their own decisions regarding their sports gambling policies, and chances are states won’t hesitate to legalize it.
With a whopping $150 billion already wagered annually on sports gambling illegally according to Chicago Tribune’s Jessica Gresko, she reports that 32 states could legalize the activity within the next five years.
Permitting sports gambling could be beneficial to multiple parties involved in this rapidly growing market that is now set to take off. While professional leagues may have concerns about the integrity of their game being compromised thanks to the latest ruling, it could also bring an additional stream of revenue.
Truthfully, the ban being lifted shouldn’t surprise anyone much, as all signs pointed towards this ruling coming down the pipe eventually. If gamblers are responsible, the integrity of the game is maintained, and the gambling is overseen and regulated to a certain extent, this could be a major positive step for everyone involved.
