Sports Gambling: Where should the Line be Drawn?

Gambling as a sport and past time has been around for decades. The thrill of casinos has now bled into thrill of sports betting. 

There has been a shift in more states making sports betting legal. More and more betting companies have popped up and partnered with professional sports leagues for money and ads.

Sports betting has an interesting history within America especially. As sports betting becomes more common, the question of how ethical it is and does the emphasis on take away from the game. 

Early 20^th century

The most well-known start to sports betting in America would in the Late 20^th century and early 20^th century with horse betting. This is past time that still goes on today, and other forms of gambling, like card and dice games, became popular back then as well. 

There were scandals that led to a dark cloud being put over gambling. Notably the 1919 Black Sox Scandal in which eight members of the highly favored Chicago White Sox were accused of throwing the World Series. Because of this scandal, the MLB installed their first commissioner and cracked down on players betting on the game.

Late 20^th Century

Las Vegas quickly establishes itself as the gambling capital in the US. This is after Nevada legalizes sports betting in 1949. In 1951, the US government imposed a 10% tax on the betting; that was later lowered to 2% in 1974 by Congress, feeling that the 10 was too high. 

Throughout the 70s and 80s, more and more casinos and gambling spaces pop up across the country, leading to the government feeling the need to have stricter laws on who can gambling and on what. 

Dozens of states rush to also legalize sports betting. Sports leagues have signed lucrative deals with sports books like MGM, Bally’s, Pointsbet and DraftKings. The sports betting industry is now a billion dollar one, and everyone wants a piece of it. 

There has been a rise in in-game sports betting which allows the better to make new wagers in the middle of games. As the game play shifts, so does the bets. 

The Impact of Sports Betting on the Sports World

As mentioned, sports betting has become a separate industry in of itself. It brings in more eyes to the leagues which in turn is more money. It lucrative and money makes the world the go round so more leagues will utilize it as a tool. 

Many have voiced their concerns with the huge rise in sports betting over the past years. Where is the line being drawn for not only civilians who want to gamble but also people who directly impact the game? 

There is always going to be a fear of players (coaches and refs) changing the game for ulterior motives. It the worst part is that it is a situation that no one will know…… till we know. Like the Black Sox scandal or basketball point shaving scandals. The truth always comes out too late, and effects the integrity of the game.

Sports betting is key revenue for leagues, media, and states. As it becomes a main stay in the sports world it is important to remember that it can be all fun and games then suddenly it isn’t.