The American Gaming Association (AGA) has announced that it will be taking what it calls, “a major shift in the industry’s approach to sports betting.”
What exactly constitutes a major shift in the eyes of the AGA remains to be seen, but the gaming industry’s most influential lobbying group is dead set on reshaping the US Government’s towards sports betting.
The AGA’s interest in pushing, “a rational alternative,” to the US sports betting ban is, no doubt, inspired by the recent rise and (possible) fall of the daily fantasy sports (DFS) industry.
Indeed, according to a report on Vegas Inc., the AGA is ready to welcome the DFS industry with open arms. In a statement to the press the group said:
If daily fantasy sports is a legal activity, the casino gaming industry should have the opportunity to participate and partner with daily fantasy sports providers.
Right now is a great time for the AGA to seize momentum in the battle to legalize US sports betting because opposition to the ban is coming on several fronts. Besides the State of New Jersey’s efforts to bring back legal wagering, support for regulation has come from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who recently penned a pro-sports betting editorial for the New York Times.
There’s certainly no reason for the AGA to not jump in the sports betting fray. After all, regulated casinos lose out on billions of dollars every year to black market pay-per-head bookies, as well as offshore sports books.