Sources tell Legal Sports Report that representatives from the five casinos in West Virginia will meet with representatives of pro sports leagues about the state’s sports betting law enacted this spring.
What’s new in West Virginia
Legal Sports Report understands the meeting comes at the request of the office of Gov. Jim Justice.
Justice, apparently because of lobbying from Major League Baseball and the NBA, has asked the legislature to revisit the law it passed in March. He allowed it to become law without his signature. He has said he is considering calling a special session to address what he and the leagues see as potential problems in the law but has not yet done so.
The state’s lawmakers, lottery and casinos have not agreed that any changes are necessary. The leagues are disappointed that the state did not include any of its wishes in the law, including control over data rights as it relates to sports betting, integrity fees and the ability to limit some types of wagering. The lottery has been working on the issue of sports betting since last fall.
The NBA and MLB have been lobbying in the state for much of the year. It’s not clear if the PGA Tour will be involved in the meetings. It holds an annual tournament at The Greenbrier, one of the facilities that could offer sports betting. The Greenbrier is owned by Justice. The pro golf tour has recently said it is aligned with the NBA and MLB.
The opportunity for WV
WV sports betting would be overseen by the state lottery and take place at the state’s licensed casinos and via mobile wagering, if it becomes legal for them to offer sports gambling.
That opportunity would come via the US Supreme Court sports betting case. A decision in that case about the federal ban on single-game wagering is due this spring.
The lottery has said sportsbooks could be up and running within 90 days of a decision. Here are the potential licensees in the state:
- The Casino Club at The Greenbrier
- Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races
- Mardi Gras Casino and Resort
- Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort
- Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack