A ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday has paved the way for the legalisation of sports betting countrywide in the United States, say several legal experts.
The court voided a federal law from 1992 that effectively barred commercial sports betting in most of the United States.
The court sided with the New Jersey authorities and upheld the legality of a 2014 state law permitting sports betting at the state’s casinos and horse racetracks.
The American Gaming Association has already welcomed the court’s decision. President and chief executive Geoff Freeman said in a prepared statement it was “a victory for the millions of Americans who seek to bet on sports in a safe and regulated manner”.
He added: “[The] ruling makes it possible for states and sovereign tribal nations to give Americans what they want: an open, transparent, and responsible market for sports betting. Through smart, efficient regulation this new market will protect consumers, preserve the integrity of the games we love, empower law enforcement to fight illegal gambling, and generate new revenue for states, sporting bodies, broadcasters and many others.”
A number casino operators with operations in the U.S. have already welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision.
An estimate previously compiled by the American Gaming Association concluded people in the U.S. wager about US$150 billion on sports each year illegally.
