Sports Betting Fever Grows As More States Consider Legalising

More US states are lining up to legalize sports betting in their respective states.

Last year’s Supreme Court decision opened the floodgates for states to decide their sports betting stances and this has resulted in a number of states already passing sports betting legislation.

There are a number of states that have sports betting bills under process as they look at tapping into this lucrative betting market. Some states that have been against gambling, are reconsidering their views as sports betting fever grows across the United States.

Kentucky and North Dakota

Kentucky is one of the states making a move towards legal sports betting. Last week, a House committee approved a bill that will allow for sports betting to happen at state’s racetracks and the Kentucky Speedway. The bill details how the revenue earned by the sports betting will be used to support the state’s public pensions and to treat gambling addicts in the state.

However, the bill is not out of the woods yet. The bill requires funding and this is the next part that needs to be voted on. Kentucky’s House of Representatives will then need to vote on it. The bill will need 60 votes out of a total of 100 to get the needed funding to start proceedings.

North Dakota has also passed a sports betting bill. Surprisingly, it was after some resistance from the House representative. An initial bill was proposed last week but got shot down on the same day. A second bill was introduced and was almost voted out but succeeded after two tries.

The initial bill only approved betting on professional sports and was easily defeated. However, the second bill added college sports and was initially two votes short of getting into the Senate floor, but four late arrivals shifted the results to victory.

Iowa and Indiana

Iowa and Indiana are the other two states that saw development in their sports betting bills. In Iowa, a state Senate committee has approved a bill that would allow local betting franchises to apply for a sports betting license. If the initial bill does not pass, there’s another one waiting in the state’s House of Representatives, which is backed the state’s gambling operators.

Already several casinos and race tracks are moving towards modifying their facilities to accommodate sports betting. One of them already has plans for a Las Vegas-style sportsbook and bar.

Indiana is another state where sports betting legalization is gaining momentum. A Senate panel has passed a gambling bill which fully outlines what it requires of sports books both online and offline. It still needs to pass through the full Senate for final approval