Sports betting legalized

[BuccaneerBrad]

The Supreme Court has ruled that a federal ban on sports betting is unconstitutional.   This is huge. 

[Phishfan]

They were talking about this on the radio. The ruling, according to a local lawyer, was not that the federal ban is unconstitutional but rather that the federal government could not force states to enforce the ban. If that is correct it is a huge thing for states rights and it could have big implications for things like marijuana and immigration.

[CF DolFan]

They were talking about this on the radio. The ruling, according to a local lawyer, was not that the federal ban is unconstitutional but rather that the federal government could not force states to enforce the ban. If that is correct it is a huge thing for states rights and it could have big implications for things like marijuana and immigration.

As I understand it the problem was the law only allowed for Las Vegas the right to allow sports betting. New Jersey wanted to make it legal as well so that's why they challenged the law. If Congress passed a law that said no states could allow sports betting then it would be a legal law. Since the law was struck it is left up to the individual states to decide .... unless a national law comes along and either allows or disallows it.

[Fau Teixeira]

A flat ban on sports betting would probably be unconstitutional as well. What right does the congress have to regulate gambling at a state level ?

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I read the opinion.  The problem is the federal government directed state legislatures as to what laws they could pass or not pass.  This ruling won't affect other issues because rarely would congress use such a construction unless they wanted to allow something in on state but not another.  Other than gambling and the Missouri compromise (since made irrelevant by 13th amendment) I can't think of others. 

A flat ban on sports gambling would be constitutional under the interstate commerce clause. 

[Phishfan]

I'm not sure Hoodie. I am still reading articles saying the federal government can pass and enforce a gambling ban but they cannot force a state to use it's resources for enforcement. The conversation is definitely out there that immigration and marijuana laws are related topics.
Check out this story: The Supreme Court’s new sports betting decision has terrible news for Trump’s immigration crackdown http://flip.it/1sr9-x
From Supreme Court, a Flipboard topic: http://flip.it/9zAPf

[masterfins]

Let's say your State legalizes gambling, and it is as easy as clicking an app on your phone.  Does this make you more likely to gamble on sports??  IMO this isn't going to greatly increase the amounting of betting on sports that is already occurring, both legally and illegally.  There has already been some betting with Fan Duel and other similar sites, and there was certainly a large initial amount of betting, but after a while their revenues dropped down.  There would certainly be more betting for Super Bowls, World Series, & the like.  I think this is all about government getting tax revenues & the leagues/teams getting a cut of the action they are missing out on.  I'd probably occasionally bet, no different than buying a lottery ticket a few times a year, but I'm not going to be betting every week as it takes the enjoyment away from watching the games.  As it is I find myself watching the Super Bowl and constantly thinking what scores need to be made so my pool numbers will payoff.

[Phishfan]

In the long run, I don't know that it will make much of a difference. Gambling is a vice much like marijuana. They are both easily accessible and I have never had a friend tell me they stayed away from either strictly based on legality.

[CF DolFan]

In the long run, I don't know that it will make much of a difference. Gambling is a vice much like marijuana. They are both easily accessible and I have never had a friend tell me they stayed away from either strictly based on legality.

If it's legal more people will get involved. I never gambled much until they passed the Lotto. Of course I didn't have much opportunity but they put it at every store. Now I spend way too much on lotto tickets that I wouldn't have before. Same with many Floridians. We spend because it is so easy.

On a side note ... it will bring in more fans to sports as people who have no idea about a sport will bet and then get caught up into watching ... similar to how fantasy sports have done.

[Sunstroke]

When I was younger, I ghost-wrote NFL analysis for a Vegas handicapper, and I got to see, up close, how gambling can be as addictive as any drug. As a result of that stretch, I really don't gamble much at all. An occasional Super Bowl square or something, but I usually only bet when it is my 49ers playing one of my friends' teams, and then it's a beer or dinner bet.

[Phishfan]

I don't think comparing the lotto with sports betting can be done. It isn't like there was a sizeable base of people who were playing numbers before the lottery became available. I heard about it from movies but that is about all. Gambling is already everywhere and like I said, no one has ever told me they don't bet strictly based on legality. If anyone wants to place a bet right now they can. Lottery was never in that position so of course legality created a boom.

[CF DolFan]

I don't think comparing the lotto with sports betting can be done. It isn't like there was a sizeable base of people who were playing numbers before the lottery became available. I heard about it from movies but that is about all. Gambling is already everywhere and like I said, no one has ever told me they don't bet strictly based on legality. If anyone wants to place a bet right now they can. Lottery was never in that position so of course legality created a boom.

I do no sports betting outside once in a great while with a friend. If it becomes legal in the state of Florida it is definitely something I will explore. I can only assume other people are like me. I have friends who can drop 10, 15 thousand over a weekend or win just as much. They bet everything.  I don't know that it will affect them except to make it easier.

[Sunstroke]

Got a good chuckle out of this...

https://politics.theonion.com/supreme-court-votes-7-2-to-legalize-all-worldly-vices-1826075730?utm_source=TheOnion_Daily_RSS&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=&utm_term=

[BigDaddyFin]

supposedly it's going to happen in stages.  The second the ruling came down 5 other states (it turned into like 20) filed suit to legalize it in their states.  I know this because they were talking about my home state of NY being one of the first 5. 

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

All of my sports betting has been vs friends/family/coworkers without the need for a bookie or casino.  I don't see that changing with the possible exception that I could see myself betting $5-20 at the start of the season on Patriots or Red Sox winning it all.