The Legality Of Live Sports Betting In The States And Its Future
The United States Supreme court had made a turning decision against the countrywide ban on gambling that was implemented by the federal government. The court passed the decision to let the states decide whether or not they want to ban gambling. With the states in control, online betting sports has seen a rise in the country.
Gambling is seen as a huge industry worldwide with many countries supporting their economies by legalizing it such as Macau. The states have been facing a budget shortfall for the last couple of years and have seen the impact of gambling on the economy. The decision to allow states to decide their fate in terms of gambling did not see many states rushing to grab the opportunity. Gambling is still banned in many states while there is a long time left for online betting sports to capture the gambling market. However, online sports bettings have picked up a lot of steam lately and seen massive traffic after a couple of states lifting the ban.
The question of whether or not gambling is legal in the United States is still a tough one to answer. There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to betting in the United States. Bettings can be placed either at retail stores/gambling hubs or online. States that have allowed for retail betting may not allow for online gambling. Michigan, New Mexico, Arkansas, Mississippi, and New York are some of the states that have legalized gambling in retail shops. You can go to bookies or gambling hubs to place your bets. However, in these states, online sports betting is banned due to a lot of political opposition to gambling.
Where are live sports betting legal in the United States?
So, which of the states allow for online sports betting? Well, currently states like Colorado, Oregon, Nevada, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island have allowed for online sports betting for their citizens.
Colorado, Nevada, and a few more states combined raked in more than $200 million in bets in September 2020 alone. The state of Colorado has become a very friendly gambling hotspot in the last couple of months showing that gambling can generate a lot of economic activity. The state has decided to introduce a few dozen online sportsbooks in the next couple of years to cater to the mass demand.
Illinois also has allowed for online gambling but the interesting thing is that the citizens need to register with a retail sportsbook before they can gamble online. This and some taxes have shown slow growth in the gambling industry in the state unlike what is seen in Colorado.
Future of live sports betting in the States
This slow growth seen in Illinois points at one thing; regulation. If the United States wants to be the next big betting Mecca of the world, it needs to deregulate the sector and allow live sports betting companies to establish their presence. That will take a lot of time, however, the response from many states due to the Supreme Court ruling against the federal ban has been a breath of fresh air. This is because many states like Texas, Arizona, North Dakota, and more have shown interest in legalizing gambling or sports betting. Such interest from the states will help in propelling the legalization of gambling but only time will tell whether or not America is ready to give an open hand to live sports betting or online casinos to promote gambling activities.
