Regulated US sports betting would be a major help to law enforcement. That’s the conclusion of the Law Enforcement Summit on Illegal Sports Betting: After Action Report.
The report represents the published findings of a group of top American law enforcement officials who met last June at the Law Enforcement Summit on Illegal Sports Betting.
After several days of panel discussions and presentations, the group came away with five key points:
- The Current U.S. Approach to Sports Betting is Not Working
- Illegal Sports Betting Fuels Criminal Enterprises
- An Open, Transparent, Regulated Sports Betting Market Boosts Law
Enforcement Oversight - States Must Play a Central Role
- Time to Repeal PASPA
That the very people tasked with enforcing American sports betting prohibition would come up with talking points that sound like they were written by the American Gaming Association is fairly stunning.
The made it clear that regulated betting markets would choke off a major revenue stream for organized crime, while making it easier to protect the integrity of professional sports.
In their view, the gambling is industry is seen as one of the most regulated industry’s in the country. This sentiment was echoed by keynote speaker, Australian Director of Sports Integrity Services, Paul Scotney who said:
Our gambling sector is robustly regulated, but its liberal nature (you can bet on almost anything) means no market for illegal gambling operations.
Scotney also told the group that regulated sports betting markets also make match-fixing a risky proposition for organized crime.
The collective attendees of the Law Enforcement Summit on Illegal Sports Betting are the latest group to join a growing chorus calling for end to the US sports betting ban.
Whether their opinion is enough to outweigh the collective power of the professional sports lobby in Congress is another matter entirely.
(Photo Courtesy of Mike Fischer)