The Latest: MLB says ruling’s effect ‘profound’ on baseball
WASHINGTON — The Latest on the Supreme Court ruling striking down a federal law that bars gambling on football, basketball, baseball and other sports in most states (all times local):
11:45 a.m.
Major League Baseball has issued a statement saying the Supreme Court ruling will have “profound effects” on the league. It said “our most important priority is protecting the integrity of our games.”
MLB said it would continue supporting legislation “that creates air-tight co-ordination and partnerships between the state, the casino operators and the governing bodies in sports toward that goal.”
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11:29 a.m.
Tony Clark, the head of the Major League Baseball Players Association, calls the Supreme Court’s ruling on sports betting “monumental, with far-reaching implications for baseball players and the games we love.”
Clark said the topic must be addressed “urgently and thoughtfully to avoid putting our sport’s integrity at risk as states proceed with legislation.”
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11:20 a.m.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and former governor Chris Christie are praising the Supreme Court’s ruling clearing the way for sports betting. One of the state’s racetracks says it plans to start taking bets “as soon as possible.”
Murphy, a Democrat, says he’s thrilled and credited the court victory to his predecessor, Christie.
Christie, a Republican, called it a “great day” for the public in a tweet and says he’s proud to have fought to give the public the right to bet.
Monmouth Park racetrack has already established a sports betting facility and said it plans to take bets “as soon as possible.”
Dennis Drazin is chairman and CEO of Darby Development LLC, which operates the track. He says the ruling could help the state’s struggling horse racing industry.
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11: 15 a.m.
Alex Waldrop, president and CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, says the horse-racing industry “must rise to the challenges and seize the opportunities presented by this expansion of sports betting.” Before the Supreme Court’s ruling, horse racing was the only legal form of sports gambling widely available across the U.S. in person and online.
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11:15 a.m.
Washington Capitals and Wizards owner Ted Leonsis calls the Supreme Court decision “a great one for sports fans” and adds he’s eager to embrace the expansion of sports betting in the U.S.
Leonsis says the decision “brings a multibillion dollar industry out of the shadows and into the sunlight, where its integrity can be guaranteed and consumers can be better protected” and that it will change the face of sports fandom for the better.
Leonsis says in a statement released Monday he believes legalized betting will protect the integrity of sports against potential corruption and paves the way to implement safeguards against fraud.
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11:02 a.m.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s spokesman says the new revenue from sports betting will be good for the state’s budget, which has struggled through persistent deficits since the recession.
Pennsylvania, already the nation’s No. 2 commercial casino state behind Nevada, prospectively legalized sports betting last fall in an aggressive casino expansion bill. Lawmakers gave the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board authority to regulate sports betting.
Owners of the state’s 12 licensed casinos can apply for a license for $10 million to operate sports betting in the casino, at another facility or online. The state tax rate would be 34 per cent, with smaller percentages set aside for local governments where the casinos are located.
With 12 casinos operating, Pennsylvania is the nation’s No. 2 state for commercial casino revenue, behind Nevada. At $1.4 billion, it is No. 1 in tax revenue from casino gambling.
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11 a.m.
The NCAA’s chief legal officer says the organization is still reviewing the Supreme Court’s decision but adds that it “will adjust sports wagering and championship policies to align with the direction from the court.
Donald Remy added that the NCAA is reviewing the decision “to understand the overall implications to college sports.”
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10:53 a.m.
The American Gaming Association calls the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down a federal law barring gambling in most states “a victory for the millions of Americans who seek to bet on sports in a safe and regulated manner.”
Geoff Freeman, the organization’s president and CEO, cited a Washington Post survey saying that 55 per cent of Americans believe it’s time to end the federal ban on sports betting. Freeman said the Supreme Court ruling makes it possible “to give Americans what they want: an open, transparent and responsible market for sports betting.”
The American Gaming Association is a trade group representing the U.S. casino industry. Members of the organization include commercial and tribal casino operators, suppliers and other entities affiliated with the gaming industry.
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10:11 a.m.
The Supreme Court has struck down a federal law that bars gambling on football, basketball, baseball and other sports in most states, giving states the go-ahead to legalize betting on sports.
The Supreme Court on Monday struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. The 1992 law barred state-authorized sports gambling with some exceptions. It made Nevada the only state where a person could wager on the results of a single game.
One research firm estimated before the ruling that if the Supreme Court were to strike down the law, 32 states would likely offer sports betting within five years.
The court’s decision came in a case from New Jersey, which has fought for years to legalize gambling on sports at casinos and racetracks in the state.