Legislative Tracker: Sports Betting
Contents
The current climate for sports betting legislation
The push for legal sports gambling got a boost as the New Jersey sports betting case gained some traction in 2017. The US Supreme Court will hear the case late in 2017 and render a decision in 2018.
A win for New Jersey could mean other states could legalize sports betting, should the court rule that the federal prohibition on sports wagering is unconstitutional. That prospect has generated interest in several state capitols.
Some states — including Mississippi and Connecticut — have already started moving to change their laws with enacted legislation.
Current sports betting bills
Here is a look at bills related to sports betting in the United States:
- Enacted law
- Introduced legislative effort in 2017
- Study bill
| State | Bill Number(s) | Bill Synopsis | Latest News |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | ACA 18 | The constitutional amendment would legalize sports betting in the state, if federal law is changed to allow it. | Latest news |
| Connecticut | H 6948 | (Passed July 2017) The bill would allow regulators to prepare for legal sports betting, should state and federal law allow. | Latest news |
| Hawaii | H 927 | The bill studies the future of gaming in Hawaii, sports betting included | Latest news |
| Kentucky | B 155 | The bill would allow for sports betting to be regulated by the state horse racing commission, should federal law allow | Latest news |
| Maryland | H 989 | The bill sets up a task force to study sports betting. | Latest news |
| Michigan | H 4060 H 4261 | The first bill would legalize sports betting via a referendum. The second would allow for parlay wagering. | Latest news |
| Mississippi | H 967 | (Passed 2017) As part of a fantasy sports law, language allows the state to regulate sports betting should federal law allow. | Latest news |
| New Jersey | S 3375 | The bill would repeal the state's prohibition on sports betting | Latest news |
| New York | S 1282 A 5438 | The bills would legalize sports betting. | Latest news |
| Oklahoma | S 857 | The bill would authorize sports betting as a part of a larger package related to tribal gaming. | Latest news |
| Pennsylvania | H 519 | The bill would legalize sports betting if federal law allows it. | Latest news |
| South Carolina | H 3102 | The bill would legalize casino gambling and sports betting. | Latest news |
| West Virginia | H 3102 | The bill would legalize sports betting. | Latest news |
| US | H 783 | The bill would allow individual states to legalize sports betting. |
Previous sports betting bills
Here’s a rundown of legislation introduced prior to 2017:
| State | Bill Number(s) | Bill Synopsis | Status Of Bill / Latest News |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | A 1441 | The bill would legalize sports betting in the state, if federal law is changed to allow it. | Introduced in September 2015. Latest news. |
| Delaware | S 183 | The bill would expand the state's parlay card offerings online. | Introduced in January 2016. |
| New Jersey | Bill became law in 2014, but is pending a legal challenge. | The bill allows sports betting in the state at casinos and racetracks. | The law is not in effect, as a court injunction has held up implementation. The case is being appealed. Latest news. |
| New York | S 940 | The bill would legalize sports betting. | The bill was introduced in 2016 and referred to the attorney general for an opinion. No further action was taken. |
| Pennsylvania | HR 619 | The bill would legalize and regulate sports betting in the state. | The bill passed a committee hearing in 2016. |
Image credit: EQRoy / Shutterstock.com
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