The National Indian Gaming Association is the latest big name group to join a growing coalition of gaming interests focused on bringing regulated sports betting to the United States.
Earlier this week, the group announced that it was joining the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Coalition on Sports Betting. This is the group that’s focusing lobbying efforts on Congress in hopes of repealing the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). PASPA is the act that barred states from offering regulated sports betting in any form that wasn’t already in effect as of 1992. This is the same act that the state of New Jersey has been working to repeal for almost eight years. Some time later year, Garden State attorneys will be arguing their case in front of the Supreme Court.
It’s important to note that tribal gaming interests, at least those represented by the National Indian Gaming Association, are interested in a federal solution to the sports betting problem. After all, Indian casinos are regulated by Federal agencies, not state agencies. Furthermore, many Indian reservations straddle state borders, which would make local regulation a nightmare.
In a statement reported on by Legal Sports Report, National Indian Gaming Association Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr. said:
As one of the key stakeholders in these discussions we want to ensure that if legalized, our members have the opportunity to offer this activity as part of their overall entertainment package and as an additional source of revenue for tribal government gaming to promote tribal economic development, tribal self-sufficiency and strong tribal government.
The bottom line here is that the regulated sports betting ship seems to be sailing towards the US market and gaming interests of all stripes are getting on board.