In June 2018, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of sports betting. This ruling ultimately lifted the ban on major sports gambling across most of the United States. By the end of that year, the Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel in New Mexico was the first to start legal sportsbook betting.
Now, in 2021, sports gambling is expected to be more prominent than ever — making the availability of help for problem gamblers more important than ever. This football season, 23 states and Washington, D.C. are permitting residents to participate in legal sports gambling. This is a rise from the 18 states allowed to place legal bets last season.
Open Doors for Sports Betting
While states such as California and Texas are still waiting to break into online sportsbook gambling, New York will be legalizing sports betting by 2022.
But there are many Americans already eligible to bet on sporting events. For instance, people in Arizona were officially allowed to bet on sports online as of September 2021. Overall, the American Gaming Association anticipates that 45.2 million Americans will participate in NFL-related betting.
Spike in Sports Betting Media
Whether on social media or television, online sportsbooks are advertising their legal sports betting as adamantly as they can. Along with this whirlwind of media campaigns, the NFL is also embracing sports betting commercials with open arms.
This is the first year in the history of the NFL that sports betting commercials are permitted during regular season NFL broadcasts. As a result, the NFL will now be featuring up to six sportsbook game betting advertisements each broadcast.
In addition to a rise in sports gambling advertisements, the NFL has officially partnered with sportsbook companies DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars.
Industry Betting Policies
One of the most infamous sports betting scandals took place during the 1919 world series, dubbed the “Black Sox scandal.” Eight players from the Chicago White Sox were taken to trial after working with gamblers and intentionally throwing the game. More than one hundred years later, legal sports betting in professional and college sports is on the rise. Is a betting scandal possible once again?
Andre Arena, a former FBI special agent, told USA Today Sports that when it comes to a sports league betting scandal, anything is possible. Currently, the MLB is trying to prevent a scandal similar to the one in 1919 from occurring. Both the MLB and the NFL are utilizing resources to collect betting data as a way to preserve responsible gaming and uncover unusual betting activity.
Increase in Younger Gamblers
Since the Supreme Court decision in 2018, there have been growing concerns over the younger people gravitating toward problem gambling. A study found that after the Supreme Court ruling, younger, lower-income people had a higher chance of becoming gamblers.
Looking for Help? Turn to 800-GAMBLER
If you or a loved one is struggling with a gambling problem, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. You can always call or text our free and confidential helpline, 800-GAMBLER, for more information about finding Gamblers Anonymous meetings in NJ. We are available 24/7.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/14/us/politics/supreme-court-sports-betting-new-jersey.html