After the Supreme Court struck down PASPA, 34 states and Washington, DC, now have legal sports betting. The top-10 markets in terms of betting handle are Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. A growing number of online and mobile betting sites have sprung up. Fanatics Sportsbook, owned by the NFL-linked apparel and merchandise company, is a big player in the sector and is now available in 11 US states.
The NFL and other leagues are increasingly getting involved in state policymaking regarding sports betting, with their main priority being to mandate the use of official data. That approach is a tough sell to lawmakers, and it is unlikely to succeed.
A statewide ban on sports betting remains in effect in Missouri. The ban was prompted by a lawsuit from the state’s professional sports teams and casino operators.
Missourians want to bet on sports, and many are frustrated by the ban more than five years after the Supreme Court cleared the way for state-regulated wagering. Amid this backdrop, the NBA and other leagues are pursuing a legislative solution: Integrity fees.
The fee, which the leagues are calling an “official data” mandate, seeks a cut of the top of all US sports betting handle. That concept is an ambitious one, and it could lead to a messy battle between state legislators and regulators. For now, the NBA’s Dan Spillane has a more measured plan: a side-by-side offering of pricier official data and cheaper unofficial data from distribution partner Sportradar.