While there is plenty of focus on the new presidential administration regarding foreign affairs, healthcare, and border security, one topic that has slipped a bit under the wire is the sports gambling ban. With Trump signing executive order after executive order, it has left many in the gambling industry wondering if he may take on the sports gambling ban and repeal it. In fact, some high-ranking sports officials believe it won’t just happen, but rather it will do so in his first term.
The Fight is Nothing New
The sports gambling ban isn’t a new subject; it’s been argued for decades now, with some supporting the ban and others strongly opposed to legal sports betting. The American Gaming Association seems to be leading the way as far as making it a regulated marketplace for placing bets and believes now is the time to get rid of the federal ban for good.
Trump is no stranger to casinos; let’s remember that is he a former casino leader and has on many occasions expressed that he supports legalization of sports betting.
A Divide in the Nation
There is no shortage of online casinos that are legal, regulated, licensed, and safe, such as what you’ll find in New Jersey. One quick look at NJGamblingWebsites.com will give players plenty of entertaining options to choose from in the state. However, take a look at many of the other states and sports betting is flat out illegal. This means the law isn’t uniform across the country at a federal level. Rather, it works on a state-by-state basis.
This federal ban was passed by congress back in 1992 and is called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PAPSA). While this may have made sense 25 years ago, those in the industry are saying it’s time to re-examine it and repeal the ban. Many believe the ban has caused more harm than good, believing it’s responsible for the black market gambling industry that now exists. Experts estimate that this underground industry is worth billions of dollars.
While congress and Trump haven’t discussed the idea of repealing the ban, there certainly seems to be a lot of interest from various groups. Many have looked to the marijuana industry as an indicator that the public is ready to loosen the reins on a number of areas that have been deemed “illegal activity” up until this point. That, combined with the fact this is a president who has a background in casinos and seems to embrace them, is giving lobbyists hope that this may just be the administration to repeal the ban.
So What’s the Hold-Up?
So if there is any hold up at all, it looks that it may come in the form of Jeff Sessions, attorney general of the United States, who has opposing views to Trump when it comes to gambling.
So for now, there is no clear answer on this rather controversial subject, but one thing is for sure, and that’s the fact that the gambling industry is lobbying hard, as they know this may just be their best odds yet.
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Featured Image: Six-sided Dice by Diacritica licensed under CC Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
