2018 could go down in history as one of the most significant years of American sports betting. In May 2018, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of New Jersey, arguing that the federal ban imposed in 1992 in the majority of states violated the citizen’s rights.
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, several states, namely New Jersey and Rhode Island, were making preparations to officially legalize sports betting. In the following month, Delaware became the second state after Nevada to implement sports betting, with other major states such as Illinois, New York, Ohio and Michigan preparing bills in this sense.
The bill was historic for many reasons, as it will effectively destroy the reason why sports betting was illegal in the first place – organized crime. In 2016, the American Gaming Association estimated that out of $4.2 billion bet on the Super Bowl 50, $4.1 billion (a whopping 97 percent) was wagered illegally.
This was long overdue, as current NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was the first major sports figure to support the legalization of gambling. ‘’I believe that sports betting should be brought out of the underground and into the sunlight, where it can be appropriately monitored and regulated’’ said Silver, in a 2014 New York Times op-ed.
The NFL has long opposed any forms of gambling on its games, out of a belief that sports betting ruins the integrity of the game. However, the organization’s stance on this issue is evolving, with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell saying that Congress should institute uniform guidelines that protect fans and consumers alike against bad actors. He also stresses the importance of giving people access to ‘’reliable league data’’ to ensure a healthy betting environment.
With the NFL’s historic (yet not surprising) endorsement of legalized gambling, the question remains on when NCAA betting will reach the same legislative status.
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Where the NCAA Stands
We can all agree that NFL football is a major component of American culture. However, those that do not have a pro squad in their area to support have been traditionally die-hard fans of college football. And soon enough, college football fandom will not be solely a matter of circumstance – it is catching up, both in spread and quality.
2014, in particular, was a big year for the NCAA, as it was marked by a major transition – the organization closed the Bowl Championship Series and moved to the College Football Playoff (or CFP). Essentially, this means that college football fans will get the chance to have an experience similar to the NFL, with a tense play-off system. With the already huge ratings increased thanks to this transition, the NCCA has a big financial incentive to legalize college football betting in the near future.
With the popularity of college football reaching all-time highs and the expansion of legalized betting in the country, the NCAA has begun studying how betting could affect college athletics and schools. The plan was announced back in July 2019, after the Supreme Court gave several states the go-ahead to legalize sports betting.
‘’While we certainly respect the Supreme Court’s Decision, our position on sports wagering remains’’ declared Donald Remy, NCAA chief legal officer. He further added that, in this new historic landscape wherein sports betting is about to be legalized nation-wide, the NCAA must ‘’evolved and expand our long-standing efforts to protect both the integrity of the competitions and the well-being of student-athletes’’.
In this sense, the NCAA created a group of experts whose role is to build a framework for potential sports betting. Areas such as federal and state laws, NCAA rules and others are being examined as we speak.
What does this mean for college football fans? It means that, even though the NCAA is (officially) against sports betting, fans may be able soon enough to bet on their favorite games in a safe and healthy environment, with rules and regulations to support it.
