Sports Betting Is Legal
There are a number of barriers that remain in the way of states allowing sports betting. Alaska and Hawaii are not on the list. Neither state is located in the continental US and they are not affected by the tax revenue losses that would occur in neighboring states. Additionally, despite the close proximity of New York and New Jersey, the tax revenue loss is not significant enough for them to oppose legalized sports betting. Other barriers include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, and South Dakota.
Pennsylvania’s PASPA ban was overturned by the Supreme Court in May 2018, and numerous state legislators are now weighing sports betting legislation. In the fall of 2018, Senators Orrin Hatch and Chuck Schumer introduced comprehensive sports betting legislation. This legislation was only symbolic, and the bill did not have any legs. During the lame duck season of 2018, New York’s House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the issue. The bill did not pass, but its provisions will be in effect until 2022.
After New Jersey’s recent victory, a handful of states are considering allowing sports betting. Arizona approved sports betting in May, but regulators are still finalizing the details. Meanwhile, 55 parishes in Louisiana have already approved sports betting. However, the legislature must still decide on how to regulate the industry and whether or not online sports betting will be allowed. While there are a number of obstacles, legal sports betting is expected to be legal in the state this year.
States Where Sports Betting Is Legal
Georgia has a legal framework in place to legalize sports betting. In January of 2020, the state passed a budget that included a sports betting law. The new law will permit only two locations to offer sports betting and would be overseen by the state lottery. The state legislature is also planning to allow mobile sports betting in 2020. Despite the obstacles, Georgia is now the fastest-growing state with legal sports wagering.
Despite the obstacles, the state is eager to open up the market. It recently approved the expansion of sports betting in Delaware. This will allow the state to attract more players to sports betting sites. The state is also open to new companies. Among them, FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM have already gone live. Other states have already legalized sports betting. Unlike many other U.S. states, Delaware and Washington have enacted laws that allow sports gambling.
The state’s legislature overwhelmingly voted in favor of legalizing sports betting in Louisiana. The Gaming Control Board has approved the new laws and legal sports betting is expected to start during the 2021 NFL season. While there are no guarantees in any form of legalized sports gambling, it is still a step in the right direction. Regardless of the state’s stance, Maryland voters have a positive outlook on the future of the sport.