SportsHandle and friends deliver another round-up of the week’s big developments in US sports betting.
Casino Bill Killed In Favor of Sports Betting In New Hampshire
New Hampshire lawmakers last week killed one gaming bill to save another. With the blessing of its sponsor, the House 86’d casino bill SB 310, 289-63, which basically clears a path for sports betting bill HB 480 to get approval. The bill passed the House 269-82 in mid-March, and late last week passed out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, 5-0, with an “Ought Pass” recommendation. It could be up for a vote by the full Senate as early as Wednesday.
Full story here.
Veto Override A Possibility for Second Montana Sports Betting Bill
After 87 legislative days that ended April 20, Montana Senator Mark Blasdel is back to his everyday life as a caterer. But he’ll have to interrupt serving up canapes to do just a little bit more lobbying.
The Montana State Legislature overwhelmingly passed Blasdel’s sports betting bills in the waning days of the session, only to watch Governor Steve Bullock veto it in favor of a bill that puts the state lottery in charge. But all isn’t lost for Blasdel’s measure. Under Montana law, any bill that passes the state legislature by two-thirds as SB 330 did, is automatically up for a veto override. And last Friday, the veto-override process started. If two-thirds of the members of both the state senate and house approve the bill, it becomes law.
Full story here.
More Clouds Appear On The New York Sports Betting Horizon: Horsemen Edition
Advocates for the launch of legal sports betting in New York State had to wince when they heard the testimony of one key player at a state Senate committee hearing in Albany last week.
“I have a few suggestions, and one is, take your time,” Joe Applebaum, president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, told members of the Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee on Wednesday.
“Let’s think this through,” Applebaum added. “Contrary to popular belief, I would say that there is no first-mover advantage. The money will eventually flow to those states with better systems. The damage done by designing a system unfriendly to consumers will not be undone for a generation.”
Full story here.
5 Game-Changing Moments For Sports Betting In The First Year Post-PASPA
It was one year ago today that the Supreme Court came to a decision on the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, declared it inconsistent with the Constitution, and issued these critical nine words about sports betting: “Each state is free to act on its own.”
And act many states did. In the past 365 days, seven new states have taken legal single-game sports bets for the first time, while another seven jurisdictions (including the District of Columbia) have legalized sports wagering and are at various stages of working toward being ready to post odds and take action. One additional state is waiting on its governor’s signature, and several others have legislation winding its way through their respective systems.
Full story here.
