It’s been all over the news in recent months: the legalization of sports betting within the United States. The gambling scene within the country has always been a bit of a mixed bag; gambling was never really outlawed to start with, but over time, as different types of officials took over office, so too did the laws the governed the way citizens spent their money on gambling.
The suspension on the long-time ban of sports betting within the United States does not apply to every state in the nation, but rather to the few select that have chosen to trial the new laws.
Currently, these are Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Connecticut, each one more than ready to welcome the new change of laws for one, main reason: revenue. States that were already exempt from the 1992 federal law included Nevada, Oregon, Delaware, and Montana.
Before the changes to sports-related gambling within the country, the industry was doing extremely well illegally both online and on mobile.
It estimated to be worth billions in total, with the Super Bowl itself generating up to $1 billion for the industry. It was obviously an industry that had remained undeterred by the illegal status of sports betting in much of the country until the courts finally decided to amend the laws.
The Effect of Change on Professionals
The changes have been met with much praise from most of the country, but many wondered on the effect they would have on the professional side of sports, namely the athletes involved. It turns out that while top-tier athletes weren’t too affected, those in college were hit much harder.
The reason for this is because most college sports-goers are considered ‘amateur’ athletes, and are therefore much more at risk to corruption, especially from bookmakers that aren’t afraid to alter the odds with an injection of money.
College sports control a sizeable portion of the most popular sports pastimes in the country, meaning that there is a large crowd who sit and enjoy college-level sports, especially football, baseball, and basketball. The athletes that perform in these sports are not paid on a professional level; they’re usually part of the college, and take the sport as an extra-curricular activity.
The Potential for Bribery
Because of the popularity of college sports, and because there is still a strong scene of betting sites that offer bets to the general population that relies on odds, it makes sense that bookies or other parties might start reaching out to talented college athletes and offer them a financial incentive.
It’s a general worry for those that want to try and keep college sports equal and fair for everyone involved. While there’s no doubt that bribes were already part of the industry, the current change to the laws means that there is no longer any legal repercussions for those that are caught.
Whether bribery within college sports becomes more of a problem remains to be seen.
It’s been all over the news in recent months: the legalization of sports betting within the United States. The gambling scene within the country has always been a bit of a mixed bag; gambling was never really outlawed to start with, but over time, as different types of officials took over office, so too did the laws the governed the way citizens spent their money on gambling.
The suspension on the long-time ban of sports betting within the United States does not apply to every state in the nation, but rather to the few select that have chosen to trial the new laws.
Currently, these are Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Connecticut, each one more than ready to welcome the new change of laws for one, main reason: revenue. States that were already exempt from the 1992 federal law included Nevada, Oregon, Delaware, and Montana.
Before the changes to sports-related gambling within the country, the industry was doing extremely well illegally both online and on mobile.
It estimated to be worth billions in total, with the Super Bowl itself generating up to $1 billion for the industry. It was obviously an industry that had remained undeterred by the illegal status of sports betting in much of the country until the courts finally decided to amend the laws.
The Effect of Change on Professionals
The changes have been met with much praise from most of the country, but many wondered on the effect they would have on the professional side of sports, namely the athletes involved. It turns out that while top-tier athletes weren’t too affected, those in college were hit much harder.
The reason for this is because most college sports-goers are considered ‘amateur’ athletes, and are therefore much more at risk to corruption, especially from bookmakers that aren’t afraid to alter the odds with an injection of money.
College sports control a sizeable portion of the most popular sports pastimes in the country, meaning that there is a large crowd who sit and enjoy college-level sports, especially football, baseball, and basketball. The athletes that perform in these sports are not paid on a professional level; they’re usually part of the college, and take the sport as an extra-curricular activity.
The Potential for Bribery
Because of the popularity of college sports, and because there is still a strong scene of betting sites that offer bets to the general population that relies on odds, it makes sense that bookies or other parties might start reaching out to talented college athletes and offer them a financial incentive.
It’s a general worry for those that want to try and keep college sports equal and fair for everyone involved. While there’s no doubt that bribes were already part of the industry, the current change to the laws means that there is no longer any legal repercussions for those that are caught.
Whether bribery within college sports becomes more of a problem remains to be seen.
