More US States to adopt sports betting in 2019, according to experts

By: Staff Writer
November 19, 2018
- Sports Betting News
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The number of US states legalising sports betting has been increasing by the day and more are expected to join by next year.

About eight states are expected to start taking sports wagers by the beginning of the 2019 NFL season, according to industry experts.

The vice president of legal and regulatory affairs of Sport Trader Group, Jake Williams, said aside from the five states, which have recently legalised and run sports betting, four to eight will “probably be accepting bets by the coming football season.”

He said this in an interview with Reuters after a conference co-sponsored by the sports data provider.

Williams was optimistic that in the next 24 months the number of states with legalised sports betting could reach 24.

Sports punters can legally place wagers in states like West Virginia, New Jersey, Delaware, Mississippi, and Nevada.

States like Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, will soon begin live betting, while a tribal casino in New Mexico has started operating a sportsbook, because it does not need state legislation.

Major US sports, the casino industry and bookmakers anticipate that states like Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, New York, Ohio, and Oregon, among others, will complete the legislative process in legalising sports betting by the end of 2019.

For a full, updated list of which states have legalised sports betting, look here.

During the conference, the Michigan state Representative Brandt Iden said, he is expecting the passage of a bill introduced last year to legalise mobile gaming. He believes the state governor would sign it by close of this year.

Iden who is also the chair of the Regulatory Reform Committee said the state would consider including integrity fees, (an amount from sports betting revenue) to be paid sports leagues, to help curtail game fixing.

The various casinos have strongly opposed the idea of integrity fee and the states currently running sports betting has not included it in their legislation.