Who says there’s no longer any bipartisanship in Congress?
Democratic New York Senator Chuck Schumer has joined Republican Utah Senator Orrin Hatch in calling for federal legislation that applies to sports wagering programs throughout the various states that choose to allow it.
“As a New York sports fan -- especially my Yankees and Giants -- and a Senator, my priority in the wake of the Murphy v. NCAA decision is making sure the integrity of the games we love is preserved, that young people and those suffering from gambling addiction are not taken advantage of, and that consumers that choose to engage in sports betting are appropriately protected,” Schumer said, via ESPN.com. “With the Supreme Court’s ruling, it’s incumbent on the federal government to take a leadership role and provide the necessary guidance to prevent uncertainty and confusion for the leagues, state governments, consumers and fans alike.”
Schumer hasn’t introduced legislation, but he has suggested specific goals and guidelines for a federal effort to create rules for legalized betting.
Via Darren Rovell of ESPN.com, the NBA, MLB, and PGA Tour support Schumer’s effort. The NFL, which quietly supports Senator Hatch’s efforts to provide federal oversight for gambling, did not join in the statement.
A federal law would supersede specific state programs that permit sports wagering. But the federal government can only do so much, as evidenced by the Supreme Court decision that ended the federal government’s effort to keep states from choosing to adopt betting.
Delaware, New Jersey, and Mississippi have legalized sports betting in the three months since the Supreme Court opened the floodgates. Betting begins Saturday in West Virginia.