After a series of states that legalized sports bets every year for almost a decade, the legalization rhythm has slowed down.
Only a state, Missouri, legalized sports bets in 2024. And this year, it is likely that only one or two states, maximum, reform their laws. This measure is just a small measure compared to previous years. In 2023, six states launched new betting markets: Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska and Ohio.
“All the fruits that were at your hand have already been collected,” says Chris Cylke, senior vice president of government relations of the American game association. “What remains is a handful of states.”
Sports bets are currently legal in 39 states (in addition to Puerto Rico and Washington, DC), while sports bets through mobile devices are legal in 31 states. The legalization of sports bets quickly extended throughout the country as of 2018, when the Supreme Court revoked the Professional Sports and Amateurs Protection Law. Better known as Paspa, the law effectively caused sports bets to be illegal, except in Nevada and some other states. After the prohibition was repealed, states were allowed to legalize sports bets and launch their own programs.
Despite the slowdown of the new markets, 2024 was another historical year in terms of the amount of money that the Americans bet on sporting events. The Americans bet approximately 150 billion dollars in 2024, an increase of 30 billion dollars compared to 2023, according to the American game association. American sports betting houses generated more than 14 billion dollars with those bets, 27 % more compared to 2023.
There is still hope that some states legalize sports bets in 2025.
“This year it seems that it will be a slow boiling year,” says Cylke. “(Last year) was an encouraging year: we added a state and there were places that were close to achieving it and we hope that impulse and optimism continue to be translated into success in 2025.”
Looking ahead, there are a handful of states that could legalize new sports betting markets, but do not hope that the two largest do it: California and Texas.
Here is the situation in states that have not yet legalized sports bets:
Alabama
Last year a bill that would have allowed mobile sports bets, up to seven casinos and a lottery failed. There are three tribal casinos in Alabama, which only have electronic bingo machines, but this bill would have allowed the opening of up to seven commercial casinos throughout the state. Without lottery, slot machines, card games and sports bets, Alabama is one of the most restrictive jurisdictions in regards to the game.
California
After two failed electoral initiatives in 2022, the tribes, the gaming companies and the politicians of the golden state paused in recent years. The interested parties of California are expected to return to the table this year to negotiate what a successful electoral initiative would be and obtain enough firms. This process is expected to last a year, which will transfer any possibility of legalization to 2026.
Georgia
Legislators have tried to approve bills on sports bets during the last three years and failed to make voters approve a measure on an electoral ballot in 2023. Georgia will not be a safe bet, but there is optimism that a reform is carried out In 2025.
Minnesota
A bill that would control a legal market for sports bets in Minnesota to American native tribes failed A consensus and no bill advanced. With a good political support, Minnesota legislators will try again this year.
Texas
The legal star legislature was not in session in 2024, but Texas legislators returned to work this year. At the end of 2023, Miriam Adelson, the multimillionaire widow of Sheldon Adelson, former executive director and president of the company of Casinos Las Vegas Sands, bought a majority participation in the NBA team Dallas Mavericks to billionaire Mark Cuban. Las Vegas Sands and their lobbyists have been working so that elected officials support the idea of legalizing casinos in the state. “The conventional wisdom is that they will make progress, but they will not reach the goal,” says Cylke. Since the Texas Legislature only meets every two years, the debate on legalization will probably take place in 2027.
This article was originally published by Forbes Us.
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