Is 2020 the Year Sports Betting Comes to America?
By Space Coast Daily // March 21, 2020
US fans have been anxiously waiting for the infamous UIGEA to be repaired, so that prestigious bookmakers and casinos can return to American soil.
In recent years, progress has been made and the number of US citizens and lawmakers favoring legal gambling is rising. Small steps have been made in the right direction and there are reasons to be optimistic about what 2020 will bring.
The legalization of sports betting and casino games nationwide is unlikely to happen this year, but the future looks bright.
Liberal States Lead by Example
The carpet ban on sports betting took everything by surprise and it took quite a while for the gaming industry to recover. With most of the leading casinos and sports books gone,
US players were left with no real alternative. Many have turned to shady offshore platforms, therefore exposing themselves to unnecessary risks.
East Coast states such as Delaware and New Jersey were the first to propose and pass gaming bills that would legalize casino games.
Nevada enjoys his prerogative for quite a while and sports betting has always been legal in this state. There example is now being followed by other states, simply because the results were strong enough to convince lawmakers.
A lot of money is being collected from punters and gambling operators and it is now going straight to state coffers instead of being lost beyond borders.
By having a legalize sports betting and casino industry, the states can protect their citizens from the predatory behavior of dishonest operators.
Casino games were easier to regulate online and several states have made progress towards legalizing online poker games. You can find a list of the best bingo sites to win on here.
The only real challenge was to join forces with like-minded states, to create compacts that bring together more enthusiastic players.
Sports betting is the obvious next step, especially with Americans being big fans of hockey, baseball, basketball and American football. Huge amounts are being wagered on the regular seasons and the playoffs, so there’s interest to legalize sports betting.
Fewer legal obstacles to worry about
The main reason why so many Americans are reluctant to gamble over the Internet is the absence of coherent legislation. Even though regular punters won’t be charged for betting, financial institutions make it virtually impossible for them to place their bets online.
The good news is that lawmakers are slowly but surely passing bills that create the legal framework for legal sports betting.
The Supreme Court ruling of 2018 also comes in handy, as it empowers state governments to pass the desired sports betting laws. Some states were quick to embracethis opportunity and West Virginia, Rhode Island, Iowa and Indiana are currently the frontrunners. Alaska, Hawaii, Wyoming, Washington and several other states are still showing no interest, while Utah lawmakers don’t even consider such an option.
The bottom line is that legal sports betting won’t come to all American states in 2020, but more US players than ever before will be able to bet legally this year.
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