In a sports betting world increasingly defined by the flow of real-time data, the leagues’ effort to control the data they share remains a key issue. It’s a fight that could escalate, with lawmakers and operators alike questioning the value of mandated official data.

The issue is more complicated than some may think. Rather than being a standalone mandate, it appears to be a component of the leagues’ attempt to push for so-called “integrity fees,” which are direct cuts from US sports betting handle. It’s a strategy that has failed to gain traction among states, with only Pennsylvania and Tennessee having included data mandates in their sports betting laws.

In both cases, the mandates apply to Tier 2 bets (in-game wagers based on the final score or outcome of a sporting event) and not all bets. Sources suggest that the cost of official data would be 0.25% of each bet, similar to what distributor Sportradar charges in other markets.

It’s also worth noting that the NFL, NBA and MLB have existing deals for the collection of real-time data with Sportradar and Genius Sports. It’s likely that the leagues will seek to expand those agreements as the demand for legal US sports betting increases. However, the industry is likely to dictate how much official data is actually worth, which may be a hard test for the leagues.