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Supreme Court Strikes Down Federal Law Prohibiting Sports Gambling (espn.com)

Posted by msmash on from the new-rules dept.

The Supreme Court has struck down a 1992 federal law that effectively prevented most states from legalizing sports betting, clearing up a legal gray area and opening a door for state governments to join in what has become a lucrative industry. From a report: The court ruled 6-3 to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PAPSA), a 1992 law that barred state-authorized sports gambling with some exceptions. It made Nevada the only state where a person could wager on the results of a single game.

States that want to offer legal sports betting may now do so, and New Jersey plans to be first. Delaware, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia are among the states expected to quickly get into the legal bookmaking game.

3 of 171 comments (clear)

  1. Another one bites the dust... by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Good. Another law regulating harmless activities between consenting adults bites the dust...

    1. Re:Another one bites the dust... by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 5, Informative

      Good. Another law regulating harmless activities between consenting adults bites the dust...

      Gambling doesn't occur in a vacuum.

      Studies: Casinos bring jobs, but also crime, bankruptcy, and even suicide

      --
      Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    2. Re:Another one bites the dust... by Obfuscant · · Score: 5, Insightful

      But studies also show that you can't legislate morality, or at least you shouldn't.

      Every law deals with morality. Even the ones against murder. "Thou Shall Not Kill" is a moral statement. So is "don't steal". What one can do in a contractual framework, ditto.

      The sports gambling laws are there because gambling on sports games leads to attempts to rig those games. Point shaving, for example. This is not a hypothesis, it is why the laws were created in the first place. History shows it happens.

      Those who forget history tend to repeat it.