The NBA is doing it, MLB is doing, Let’s Do it, let’s embrace betting.
The reality has set in. There will be no turning back and the sports world in the United States is going to have to adjust to what most of the other sports operators in the world have understood for decades. There is gambling on sports and there is nothing you can do, so embrace it. A good chunk of the countries in the world have legalized sports gambling and whether that is good or bad for society is left to the moralists to decide. The moralists in the United States sports industry included NBA Commissioner David Stern who in the 1990s was ready to block expansion plans into any city where local governments were entertaining the thought of sports gambling. Stern wanted the NBA exempt from being legally bet and lobbied to kill sports gambling in New Jersey. The National Football League fought with New Jersey and Delaware in courtrooms to stop legalized sports gambling. That fight has now vanished. The Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn 1992 legislation that banned legalized sports gambling in 46 states, US territories and the District of Columbia has changed the playing field.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association, which has in the past joined with the NFL in court cases to block the implementation of sports gambling in New Jersey and in Delaware has done an about face and seemingly is fine with gambling. Of course, the NCAA never had a problem with legalized sports gambling in Nevada and in fact Nevada sports books have helped the NCAA in creating additional interest in college football bowl games and the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament. The NCAA has had a ban on placing the basketball tournament in Las Vegas because of some integrity reason that has never been fully spelled out. But now Las Vegas can host a round. The NCAA can make some money off gambling.
The NCAA could allow Las Vegas to host a Men’s Tournament regional final.
