Delaware Sports Betting Law Ruled Illegal

[dave nz]

A sports betting law in Delaware is in violation of a federal prohibition against sports gambling, a federal appeals court ruled Monday.

The Delaware legislation had been challenged by the NFL, NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball and the NCAA in a lawsuit.

Delaware was exempted from the federal ban on sports gambling. But the professional leagues and the NCAA had maintained that the Delaware legislation is illegal because the state was planning to offer single-game betting for the first time.

A three-judge panel in Philadelphia made the ruling after hearing arguments from attorneys for both sides for nearly two hours Monday, the Associated Press reported.

Delaware had intended to put its sports betting plan into effect next month as a revenue-generating mechanism.

Now state officials must decide whether to accept parlay bets on multiple NFL games, which the leagues did not contend is illegal. State leaders also must decide whether to appeal Monday's ruling, either to the full appeals court or to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"We're very disappointed with today's ruling," Michael Barlow, the legal counsel to Gov. Jack Markell, said, according to the AP.

The appeals court judges ruled that the state's betting plan, as currently constituted with single-game betting, violated a 1992 federal ban on sports wagering known as the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act.

Delaware's exemption came because it ran a 1976 sports lottery with parlay bets on at least three NFL games. Other states with exemptions are Nevada, Montana and Oregon.

At issue in this case was whether Delaware could expand its sports gambling to include single-game betting, and wagering on sports other than the NFL.

"We're delighted," Kenneth Nachbar, an attorney representing the pro leagues and the NCAA, told reporters after the ruling, according to a transcript provided by the NFL. "We felt that the Delaware scheme violated PASPA. The court has ruled that way. We couldn't be happier.

"... We were hoping that they would [rule on] the merits. We urged them to. We are glad that they did.... We thought that we had a good case on the merits from the beginning and we just pressed that case and we're delighted with the result.

"... I think when Congress enacted PASPA they understood that there is a certain amount of sports betting but that that sports betting shouldn't be expanded. It shouldn't be expanded to the East Coast. It shouldn't be expanded beyond where it is conducted now. And it won't be as a result of this ruling....I think the NFL and the other sports leagues have been opposed to the spread of sports betting. They testified in favor of PASPA when it was enacted in 1992. The fact that they brought this action shows that they are serious."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had expressed strong opposition to the Delaware legislation.

Goodell said in May at an NFL owners' meeting: "We recognize the challenges that Delaware and other states have. This is something that we would like to work with states on.... On the other hand, we are very firm in our opposition to legalized team sports betting. To us, betting on the outcome of our games is something that we will always oppose vigorously."

Goodell drew a sharp distinction between sports betting and allowing NFL teams to put their logos on state lottery tickets, as the league now permits.

"That's a far cry and a complete distinction from... betting on the outcome of games," Goodell said in May.

There also had been support on Capitol Hill for overturning the Delaware law.

In July, Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) and Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) wrote a letter to Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. urging him to enforce the federal ban on sports betting. In the letter, the lawmakers wrote that "sports betting threatens the integrity of the pastimes our citizens enjoy and the nature of the games they follow" and asked Holder to "defend this statute in any pending litigation and to closely follow the events in Delaware to prevent any violations of federal law."

Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), a former Washington Redskins quarterback, was among three members of Congress who sent a separate joint letter to Holder urging him to scrutinize efforts to legalize sports betting in Delaware and New Jersey. That letter, also signed by Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), said the states' efforts "threaten to permit expanded sports gambling and as a consequence threaten the integrity of our national pastimes." It said the Congressmen "encourage the Department of Justice to defend the federal prohibition against sports betting and take any actions necessary to safeguard amateur and professional sports".

[Dr. Jack]

Looks like they will end up doing parlays only kind of like ProLine in Canada

[upinya83]

good to see heath shuler in the news

[barryg]

Another revenue producing idea squashed by the hypocrites!!!!!!!
I'm sure Roger Goodell is well aware that NOBODY bets on NFL games and that gambling had NOTHING to do with the popularity of the league as we know it today.

[dave nz]

Originally Posted by barryg

Another revenue producing idea squashed by the hypocrites!!!!!!!
I'm sure Roger Goodell is well aware that NOBODY bets on NFL games and that gambling had NOTHING to do with the popularity of the league as we know it today.

Exactly..... I think alot of the authority figures in sports (beit print media, visual /audio media, or directly associated with the sports francises), have no Idea the true extent of the interest and revenue generated in their "business", due to sports gambling.