Hungry for Legalized Sports Betting?
Although it’s still early in the legislative process, California officials are preparing to challenge the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) which would allow wagering at six horse racing tracks and sports betting at the 57 tribal casinos located within the state.
This attempt at reform is reminiscent of the ongoing battle in the state of New Jersey. In that case, Governor Chris Christie signed a bill into law that legalized sports betting in the state, however, the federal ban on gambling still needs to be overturned before that bill can be passed. Right now only Nevada, Oregon, Montana and Delaware have legalized sports betting but with an estimated $13 billion budget deficit, sports betting would inject some much needed income into the California economy.
This bill is being championed by State Senator Roderick Wright who assumed office back in December of 2008. Worth noting is that Wright’s career has been marred by scandal including a $120,000 sexual harassment settlement which was brought to light after the LA Times obtained the private document in April 2010. Wright was also accused of filing a false declaration of candidacy, voter fraud and perjury dating back to his 2007 campaign.
This is ongoing issue is important to sports bettors everywhere, and the team at SportsInsights will continue to monitor this situation as it progresses. You can receive breaking news updates like this in addition to betting trends and key injury updates by following us on twitter @SportsInsights.
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