Is regulated sports betting in the United States cursed? If you’re a US-facing operator, this idea might not seem all that far-fetched. After all, just when things really get going, live sporting events across the world are flat out cancelled. But there’s always football season, right?
Well, maybe not.
In a move that should send shudders up the spines the US sports betting establishment, the National Football League (NFL) has cancelled its annual Hall of Fame Game. The game, which was to have taken place on August 6 between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys, has been tentatively rescheduled for August 5, 2021 (assuming the US is not mired in a Mad Max-style dystopia by that point). The NFL has generously allowed that tickets for this year’s game can be used at the rescheduled event.
The league has also cancelled the Hall of Fame induction ceremony that was scheduled to take place that same weekend.
What’s particularly chilling about this news is that the exhibition game (and you’re always welcome to wager on those) takes place only a few weeks before the regular season is scheduled to start (September 10). Given that professional and college football make up the lion’s share of American sports betting, this particular cancellation is not a good sign.
That said, there has been talk that the NFL could, potentially, play games without fans in attendance. While this scenario could radically change the course of play, it would be good news for all those newly minted US sports betting operators. Regardless of what happens to the regular season, the fact that the NFL is cancelling anything is big news and something that should be watched carefully.