The American Gaming Association – the trade association representing the interests of the gambling industry – has entered the fray in a long-simmering debate over the final appearance of sports betting in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Regulated sports betting has been winding its way through the legislative process in the state: the Massachusetts House of Representatives has twice passed a bill to legalize betting, but the state Senate took umbrage with some of the details of the bill.
Most notable among its objections was the inclusion of collegiate wagering, certain responsible gambling measures, and then some issues to do with advertising.
The overall theme of the AGA’s letter – which was signed President and CEO Bill Miller – can be understood in terms of acceptance: people are going to bet on sporting events anyway, so why erect blinders to this reality? Why not protect the customer from predatory and illegal sportsbooks?
As Miller put it: “There has always been, and always will be, significant public demand for betting on collegiate sports. States have appropriately recognized that the real public policy question is not if collegiate sports wagering will occur, but whether it should take place through legal or illegal channels.”
He went on to note that, “Allowing legal, regulated wagering on collegiate events strengthens the integrity of games and protects bettors, competitions and the athletes competing in them by enabling robust, transparent and collaborative monitoring by regulators and law enforcement.”
The AGA’s support for sportsbook advertising falls along similar lines: the acceptance of the inevitability of human behavior: “Sportsbook advertising has an essential role in drawing bettors away from the predatory illegal market to the protections of the legal, regulated market.”
The gaming industry already has a presence in the Commonwealth (DraftKings is headquartered Boston). Miller notes that, in the state, the industry supports 5,000 jobs, brings in $1bn in tax revenue and has been behind infrastructure and development investment to the tune of $4bn.
