In the beginning, the leagues argued that legalized sports betting would undermine the integrity of games and lead to more attempts at tampering with them for gambling purposes. But, they fought it all the way to the Supreme Court and lost. Since then, they’ve done a complete 180 and are embracing it – partnering with sportsbooks and having them in the stadiums on game days. They’re putting them in places that they think are the most prominent, like the one at the NFL Draft in New York City.
It’s also working with casinos to help educate people about responsible gambling and its impacts. And, it’s pushing for state laws that protect student-athletes from being harassed or coerced to bet and that address problem gambling among college-age people.
So far, 34 states and Washington, D.C., have passed sports betting legislation, and the number is rising. Most of those states have launched sportsbooks, though the full rollout is still months away in some. For example, Wisconsin’s law only allows its six Native American casinos to offer in-person sports betting. But, the Oneida Nation struck a deal with Gov. Tony Evers that allows the tribe to launch mobile sports betting and retail sportsbooks at its Green Bay casino. The state is also preparing to offer online wagering, but it won’t be a full-fledged market until 2023. Click here for a map of all the states and DC where sports betting is available.