Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Wednesday 21 March 2018
Leagues, casinos lobby states for cut of legal sports bets

By BEN NUCKOLS State regulators monitor
AP Sports Writer wagering 24/7 in Nevada,
WASHINGTON (AP) — With and the leagues pay con-
the Supreme Court poised tractors to monitor over-
to rule on a case that seas bets.
could end the federal ban Casinos argue that sports
on sports gambling, more books don't make much
than a third of U.S. states money and are really there
are considering legislation to get gamblers in the
to get in on the action, and door. Unlike blackjack or
professional leagues and slots, where casinos have
casino interests are lobby- a house edge, sports books
ing against each other for make money by encour-
the biggest cut of the win- aging individual gamblers
nings. to each side of a wager,
The push to legalize betting and then charging a per-
on sports has already led to centage for placing the
fractures in an uneasy alli- bet. Casinos say leagues
ance that had developed will benefit from enhanced
between leagues and fan interest and gambling-
gambling legalization ad- company sponsorships.
vocates before Supreme Bills to legalize sports bet-
Court arguments last fall. ting have been introduced
The NBA and Major League In this Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018, file photo, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred in 18 states. This month,
speaks during a news conference at the baseball owners meetings in the Four Seasons Hotel, in
Baseball have been asking Los Angeles. West Virginia approved
states to give them 1 per- Associated Press a bill that would legalize
cent of the total amount sports betting immediately
wagered on their games, to what exists in Nevada, out of their element, and tion. That's despite the fact if the Supreme Court allows
calling it an "integrity fee" where the state takes 6.75 that's making them uncom- that 31 percent of sports it. A decision by the court is
so they can protect their percent of winnings on top fortable," said Kevin Braig, gambling winnings in Ne- expected this spring.
products and snuff out at- of a federal tax of 0.25 per- a Columbus, Ohio-based vada last year came from Mississippi, New Jersey,
attorney, gambling industry football bets, and more is New York and Pennsylvania
analyst and handicapper. wagered on college bas- have also already autho-
"The gaming industry lob- ketball's NCAA Tournament rized sports gambling. New
bies all the states. I think it than on the Super Bowl. York is considering whether
goes even beyond that: The NBA and MLB argue to expand a law already
They're almost partners in their reputations are on the on the books to allow
what they're doing. They line because of the possi- sports gambling at race-
have a very close relation- bility of games being fixed. tracks and betting parlors.
ship because they have Sports fans are still familiar In Iowa, a bill to authorize
very closely overlapping with the Black Sox scandal sports books has advanced
interests." of 1919, Pete Rose's lifetime out of committee.
Before the Supreme Court banishment from baseball The states that have only in-
heard New Jersey's chal- for betting on games and troduced bills or are not as
lenge to the 1992 federal a point-shaving scandal in- far along in the process are
law limiting sports betting to volving former NBA referee California, Connecticut, Illi-
In this Jan. 14, 2015, file photo, odds are displayed on a screen the four states that already Tim Donaghy. nois, Indiana, Kansas, Ken-
at a sports book owned and operated by CG Technology in Las had laws on the books, ca- "The damage from even a tucky, Louisiana, Maryland,
Vegas. sino interests — and their hint of scandal will hurt the Michigan, Missouri, Okla-
Associated Press influential trade group, the sports leagues far worse homa, Rhode Island and
American Gaming Associa- than anyone else," said Bry- South Carolina.
tion — were encouraged an Seeley, senior vice presi- The NBA and MLB haven't
tempts at cheating and cent of the amount wa- by the professional leagues' dent and deputy general successfully sold lawmakers
game-fixing. gered. changing attitudes about counsel at MLB. on a 1 percent cut so far,
"Now, let's be clear — that's Casinos have a built-in gambling, even as leagues "The NBA spends billions of although the New York bill
just a euphemism for a cut edge when it comes to argued before the justices dollars each year creat- was amended to give 0.25
of the action," Joe Asher, battling in statehouses. Ca- that the ban should re- ing the games that would percent of the amount wa-
CEO of William Hill U.S., a sinos are legal in 40 states; main. NBA Commissioner serve as the foundation gered to the leagues.
sports book operator, told the commercial compa- Adam Silver has said bet- for legalized sports bet- West Virginia's new law
New York state lawmakers nies and American Indian ting should be legalized ting, while bearing all of doesn't kick back anything
in January. "There will be tribes that run them are and MLB Commissioner Rob the risk and therefore incur- to the leagues. Manfred
plenty of financial benefits well-versed in dealing with Manfred has said it could ring enormous additional said it has "serious prob-
to the leagues." regulators and state law- enhance fan interest in the expenses for compliance lems" and benefits "only the
Gambling proponents say makers. The NBA and MLB, sport. Although the NFL re- and enforcement," NBA gaming industry." He may
kicking back that much to on the other hand, are new mains publicly opposed to spokesman Mike Bass said. have found a sympathetic
the leagues would make to lobbying states on gam- gambling, Commissioner "As a result, we believe it is ear in Republican Gov. Jim
sports books unprofitable bling and have sometimes Roger Goodell has said his reasonable for operators to Justice, who allowed the bill
and prevent a legal, regu- relied upon the bully pulpit position has "evolved." compensate the NBA with to become law without his
lated betting market from of their commissioners to The NFL and the NCAA have a small percentage of the signature and urged law-
developing. They're seek- get their point across. sat out the debate entirely total amount bet on our makers to consider partner-
ing an arrangement similar "The leagues feel like they're in states considering legisla- games." ing with the leagues.q