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SPORTS Friday 2 March 2018

Sports betting’s big wager: Will younger bettors ante up?

By DAVID PORTER
Associated Press
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — As
the push to legalize sports
gambling in the U.S. nears
a crucial Supreme Court
decision, states hoping to
reap a financial windfall
could face another hurdle:
Attracting younger play-
ers used to online fantasy
sports.
The explosion in popular-
ity of daily fantasy sports
over the last decade has
created a generation of
sports fans more attuned
to gauging individual play-
er statistics than how two
teams may fare against
each other, the challenge
at the heart of traditional
sports wagering.
Even more important, ex-
perts say, is whether states
will be able to offer online
sports wagering to a de-
mographic raised on smart-
phones and laptops. That
will depend heavily on how
the Supreme Court decides In this Aug. 20, 2015, file photo, Therese Duenas counts money as she takes bets in the sports book at the South Point hotel and
New Jersey’s case, expect- casino in Las Vegas.
ed this spring. Associated Press
“How motivated are peo- challenges for sports bet- rently, illegal sports wager- “Whatever the next thing is, state’s casinos and horse
ple going to be to get in ting to succeed will be cap- ing is estimated from the they will move to where the racing tracks, but doesn’t
their car, drive 45 minutes, turing sports fans like Nick, tens of billions of dollars an- money is. It may be crypto- include online wagering.
park, walk through path- an experienced daily fan- nually to as high as $100 bil- currency trading.” If the court strikes down the
ways and walkways just to tasy player from Maryland lion or more. Brian Pearson, a longtime Professional and Amateur
get to a remote corner of a who also regularly places A survey commissioned by daily fantasy player and Sports Protection Act as un-
casino?” asked Daniel Wal- traditional sports bets with the Fantasy Sports Trade founder of fantasy sports constitutional, New Jersey
lach, a Florida-based attor- a bookie through his smart- Association in 2016 esti- website Jackpot Fantasy and other states would be
ney considered an expert phone or computer. mated more than 57 mil- concurred. free to implement and reg-
in sports gambling law. While illegal, that may still lion people participated in “The crossover will be ev- ulate online and in-person
New Jersey has challenged be a more attractive op- some form of fantasy sports, erywhere,” Pearson said. sports gambling.
the Professional and Ama- tion than traveling to a in which competitors pick “Players just love action. If Online wagering “would
teur Sports Protection Act, brick-and-mortar location rosters of players and win they don’t like the (point) likely require a finding that
the 1992 federal law for- to place a legal bet. or lose based on how those spread, maybe they throw PASPA is unconstitutional,”
bidding all but Nevada “Part of the convenience players perform. down a lineup for the day. said Wallach, an attorney
and three other states from now is that I can place a Noting that many hard- Maybe they are on a cold with Miami, Florida-based
authorizing gambling on bet from anywhere,” said core daily fantasy sports streak and need a change Becker and Poliakoff.
college and professional the man in his mid-20s, who players migrated from the of pace. Options are al- Wallach added that New
sports. spoke to The Associated online poker world, Chris ways good.” Jersey might be able to
Only Nevada offers betting Press on the condition of Grove, managing director Whether that online action modify its legislation and tie
on single games. anonymity because he of gambling research firm is allowed likely will come its online sports gambling to
How the court rules will af- was talking about doing Eilers and Krejcik, said seri- down to the specifics of the existing online casino wa-
fect more than two dozen something illegal. ous players probably won’t court’s ruling. gering platforms.
states that are pushing “I probably would stay with shy away from traditional The New Jersey legislation The same could apply to
sports betting legislation or what I have right now, with sports wagering. being challenged by the other states like West Vir-
considering it if New Jersey the convenience and ac- “It almost doesn’t really NCAA and professional ginia that already have on-
is successful. cessibility.” matter if it’s sports-related sports leagues would al- line gambling contained in
If it is legalized, one of the The stakes are huge. Cur- or not,” he said. low sports gambling at the their legislation.q