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Why U.S. Sports Betting Was Mostly Illegal, Until Now

Betting on sports holds a peculiar place in American recreation: Only in Nevada is it broadly legal, but it happens pretty much everywhere. A case before the Supreme Court could bring the activity into the open, complete with regulation and taxation. The court will rule by the end its term in June on whether New Jersey will be allowed to legalize sports betting. If New Jersey wins, other states will likely seek follow its lead -- and possibly challenge federal regulations on marijuana, guns and

U.S. Supreme Court Rules States Can Legalize Sports Gambling

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By Ira Boudway

March 5, 2018 at 5:00 AM UTC

Updated on

May 14, 2018 at 4:45 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Betting on sports holds a peculiar place in American recreation: Only in Nevada has it been broadly legal, even though it happens pretty much everywhere. Now a Supreme Court ruling on a challenge by New Jersey could bring the activity into the open, complete with regulation, taxation and competition.

The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 halted the spread of legal sports betting beyond states that then allowed it. Nevada, where sportsbooks have been a part of casinos since 1975, was grandfathered in, as were more limited state-run sports lotteries in Oregon, Delaware, and Montana. New Jersey, home to Atlantic City’s casino industry, was given a year to adopt sports betting, but a push back then to amend the state constitution failed.