Former NBA commissioner David Stern has reiterated his support for the legalization of sports betting saying that the argument that gaming is bad is an outdated concept.
He stated that it was now widely accepted within the sports industry that a properly regulated gaming industry is protective of sports.
Stern has recommended that the federal prohibition on state regulated sports betting which is a part of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) be amended to allow sports betting.
Even though sports betting is illegal in the United States, barring Nevada and Delaware, huge amounts of money is spent on sports betting via illegal gambling operators.
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According to the American Gaming Association $90 billion will be put into this season’s sports betting industry and the majority of this amount will be placed with illegal operators. Nevada’s regulated sportsbooks saw betting worth only $1.69 billion in 2015. Stern pointed out the dangers of this and called on PAPA to make the necessary amendments.
In a statement, Stern said
You wind up with a proposition that says there is this legal gaming, but there's also an enormous amount that is wagered. That amount is not regulated, not taxed, and the profits go to unsavory causes, and that's a good thing to take a look at
Current NBA commissioner Adam Silver is of a similar opinion and feels that an overarching federal framework for sports betting created by Congress would be the best solution providing individual sports leagues the option to participate or not in sports betting.
Stern has earlier opposed sports betting after being the one to guide the NBA through a scandal involving referee Tim Donaghy who had shared information with gamblers. In 2012, he had argued against New Jersey’s proposal to legalize sports betting saying that gambling is a threat to the relationship and loyalty that exists between fans and sports teams.
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) has helped alleviate many of the concerns Stern had. He stated that if DFS is being legalized then sports betting must also be legalized. While Stern has been publicly pushing for a change in laws, none of the major sports leagues such as the NFL, Major League Baseball and NHL have expressed their support for the same.
Stern said that even one or two of the leagues coming out in support and participating in the process would help, while others could wait it out. However he noted that the most difficult thing would be bring together law enforcement authorities, sports leagues, technology companies and casinos for the initiative. He expects the process to take five to 10 years but remains hopeful that it could be finalized within the next three years.
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