Former NBA Commissioner David Stern will speak on the topic of sports betting at the Global Gaming Expo, held in Las Vegas this September.
The event — the largest casino-gaming conference in the world — is hosted by the American Gaming Association. The AGA has actively advocating for the repeal of a federal law in the US that prohibits most sports wagering.
G2E will take place Sept. 26-29 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center.
What will Stern say on sports betting?
According to a press release on Stern’s appearance, he will not be giving a speech, but will be having a conversation with AGA CEO Geoff Freeman “about the future of sports betting and its impact on major professional sports, as well as how the NBA’s expansion parallels the casino gaming industry.”
“Commissioner Emeritus Stern, a proponent of legalized, regulated sports betting, will offer a unique perspective on an issue that has rapidly evolved and represents a significant growth opportunity for the industry,” Andrew Ortale, AGA’s vice president of industry services, said in the release.
What Stern and the NBA have said previously
Of all the major North American professional sports leagues, the NBA has been the only one that has been publicly supportive of legal sports betting.
Current NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has continued to say the league supports the idea of regulated sports betting, but has stopped short of actually lobbying for that to occur.
Stern has echoed Silver’s sentiments. From NorthJersey.com last year:
“I’m with Commissioner Silver,” Stern told an audience at a forum in midtown Manhattan on the future of sports and digital media. “There should be federal legislation that says, ‘Let’s go all the way’ and have betting on sports. It’s OK. It’s going to be properly regulated.”
PASPA, still not close to coming off the books
Of course, until the words of Silver and Stern are turned into action, it’s unclear how much of an impact they will have on repealing PASPA. That’s the federal law that outlaws betting on sports in all states except for Nevada, and limited wagering that can occur in Delaware, Montana and Oregon.
The NBA remains a plaintiff in the New Jersey sports betting case, in which it is attempting to legalize sports betting. The state lost an appeal on Tuesday.
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