What has sports betting looked like in the USA throughout time? We took a closer look at its history here.
Sports have been part of the USA for a very long time, and where you find sports, you can often find wagering alongside them. Compared to other countries, the USA has had an interesting relationship with sports betting over the years. Let’s take a quick look through it now.
The Start
Sports betting might have existed in some form or another previously, but the first legal betting in the USA popped up in Nevada in the 1930s. Even as the casinos grew and flourished in Las Vegas, sportsbooks grew up right alongside them. In other states, this did not happen, so for a very long time, Nevada was thought to be the only place in the USA where you could legally bet on sports.
Some other states introduced forms of sports lottery and other games, with Delaware, Oregon, and Montana creating options in the 1970s and 80s. However, the government decided that it wanted to halt the spread of sports betting where it could, and introduced the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (or PASPA) in 1992. This stopped any other states introducing sports betting, but allowed the four who already operated games to continue.
The Overturn of PASPA
For many years, PASPA stopped states from introducing legalised forms of sports betting. Though you could find forms of it in the other three legal states, Nevada was still the primary place people went if they wanted to engage in some form of sports betting.
This all changed with the launch of the Internet. Suddenly, you could find many sites offering some sort of betting option online. PASPA was challenged in the Supreme Court and deemed unconstitutional. This then allowed states to introduce sports betting legislation, so sites and land-based sportsbooks could flourish and offer great betting odds in a safe, secure and legal format.
The Future of Sports Betting in the USA
Since the overturn of PASPA we have seen many of the states in the US at least consider introducing sports wagering, even if they have not yet put any legislation through. This is a great move for Americans to make. Having safe and legal options for people to turn to will always be best as it can keep them away from the dangerous and unregulated sites.
More and more states are introducing the legislation needed to cover safe and regulated sports betting. Along with it has come questions about potentially legalising online casinos and poker sites. As these are common in the UK, Europe and Asia, and with Canada also looking into introducing these options in certain provinces, it could be the right time for the USA as a nation to consider them too.
Sports betting in the USA has had an interesting history, even if legal sports betting has only been around for less than a century. As we move forward, it will be interesting to see what steps the US takes next in terms of creating a safe and well-regulated place for their citizens to gamble.c