Betting on sports is such pain in the ass.
But it might become a whole lot easier after the Supreme Court reversed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) on Monday, which previously outlawed gambling in 46 states.
Blame George H.W. Bush for that.
Now, thanks to the pushy S.O.B.s in my native New Jersey (via Murphy vs. NCAA), the rest of the country can join Nevada, Delaware, Montana, and Oregon in legalized betting. Bad news for your bookie, great news for the average Joe, who would much rather walk up to a window — OTB style — and lay some timber on his or her favorite game.
Or mixed martial arts (MMA) fight.
Keep in mind, the Supreme Court ruling only paves the way for state legislature, so it will take some time to get local laws enacted. And that’s only speaking for those individual states wanting to introduce sports betting into its economy. I imagine it would be hard to turn down the potential tax revenue
“That’s the news every one of these states was waiting for,” sports and gambling law attorney Daniel Wallach told USA Today Sports. “Every one of these states’ legislative measures hinged on the finding of the Supreme Court that PASPA is unconstitutional. The ruling allows the states to legislate immediately and for all such laws to become effective immediately.”
You can track your state’s progress at this link.
Most combat sports fans looking for some action have either taken their dreams to the counter in “Sin City” or relied on myriad gambling websites like our friends at Bovada.lv. No question today’s ruling precipitates a major shift in the gambling industry, for better or for worse.
Just don’t try to become the next “Vegas Dave.”