The fight for the legalization and regulation of sports betting in America gets the much-needed boost after the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear New Jersey sports betting case on whether to allow the state to permit this type of gambling at the state’s racetracks and casinos. This year the Supreme Court is to examine the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992, the federal prohibition on sports betting.
Supposing that the U.S. Supreme Court rule to repeal PASPA, many states are expected to regulate the industry. Along with New Jersey, Massachusetts is believed to be among the first group of states that is to adopt a regulated sports betting system.
According to the latest news, Massachusetts first casino Plainridge Park is ready to enrich its assortment of gambling options by adding a sports book. Industry experts are convinced that Plainridge Park’s interest in sports betting is mainly triggered by the upcoming opening of MGM Springfield and Wynn Resorts in Everett. The strategic move is supposed to keep Massachusetts first casino one step ahead of the competition and focus its attention on offering unique gambling experience for the sports fans.
Sports betting is to be on the front burner for the gambling operator Penn National, known to be the company behind Plainridge Park. In an interview with The Boston Globe, Penn National senior vice president Eric Schippers told the reporters that the company is interested in operating a sports book should the U.S. Supreme Court repeal the long-standing federal ban.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is to prepare a white paper on the subject as an initial step towards the sports betting regulation. Supposing that the U.S. Supreme Court decides to scrap PASPA and pave the way for the regulation of sports betting industry, many states are to rush through the doors in an attempt to be the first to regulate this type of gambling activity and reap the most economic benefits of it.
New Jersey Sees PASPA as Unconstitutional
The prospect of sports betting regulation seems to be a manna to many American states that are looking to bring additional revenue sources to their local economies. PASPA, the federal gambling law that prevents sports betting in all but four states (including Nevada, Delaware, Montana and Oregon). According to various statistics, PASPA has fueled billions of dollars in the underground sports gambling industry.
New Jersey’s five-year-old legal battle finally nears resolution. Experts believe that New Jersey has good chances to win the case as the state claims that the federal ban violates the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as it allows certain states to offer this type of gambling activity, while the other states are not allowed to regulate the sports betting industry.
