Over the past few years, the landscape of sports betting in the U.S has slowly been changing. With more momentum being thrust behind the digital movement due to the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advances made in programming and technology, sports betting, especially the online kind, has gained greater recognition across the country.
However, while the rise of sports betting in physical establishments and online sportsbooks is fitting with a society where people are spending more time on digital devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers, the activity has not been universally accepted and adopted across the U.S.
With digital entertainment only attracting larger audiences due to increased levels of digitalization across society and better access to platforms for sports betting, the conversation around this activity is also ramping up. But what is the current state of play and what does the near future hold for sports betting in the U.S?
Cloud of Controversy
Perhaps the most negative news to come out of the sports betting industry in recent weeks is the topic of game-fixing involving a handful of elite athletes as well as players at college level across a couple of heavily followed sports in the U.S. Incidents involving basketball player, Terry Rozier, and Cleveland Guardian pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have rocked not only the sports betting world, but the world of American sports and the integrity within it.
While these high-profile cases do not have an impact on the regular sports fan looking to back his or her team or one of the many betting markets, changes have already been made to the way athletes interact with sports betting platforms. The new truth is that they cannot. While stories in the NBA and MBL naturally gain greater nationwide attention, another incident in college sports has led to the NCAA announcing a ban on NCAA athletes and staff members betting on professional sports following bets placed on games by Temple University player Hysier Miller and staff members Jaylen Bond and Camren Wynter, including games involving their team.
The ban is a stern response to the recent game-fixing misdemeanors and has left a blotch on a growing industry within U.S entertainment, and perhaps more importantly, has eroded a bit of the trust placed in an evolving industry by sports fans.
More States Joining the Movement
Despite the high-profile news stories of corruption in sports betting, the activity is gaining more traction within the U.S. While its online counterpart online casino play takes a bit longer to warm to governors in many American states, sports betting has now been legalized in 30 states, with North Carolina the most recent to join the movement.
As a sports-mad country, having another avenue in the form of online betting in the U.S to follow and interact with sports is intriguing sports fans across the country and for individual states, the revenue figures produced by states that have had a longer relationship with sports betting are difficult to ignore. Sports betting has proved a lucrative revenue source in many other leading markets, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Furthermore, the legalization and regulation of sports betting also helps in the fight against the illegal market, which is an issue afflicting all states across the U.S.
Currently though, there are still a handful of states such as Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Tennessee that still have bans on certain forms of sports betting, either online or retail, with Missouri banning all forms of the activity. But there are discussions taking place in states across the country to grant greater approval for sports betting in either or both forms. Prominent figures such as New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo have introduced bills to promote other forms of sports betting like fantasy sports and contests, which is further proof of the movement taking a stronger grip on the U.S betting community.
A Constantly Evolving Landscape
From the two passages mentioned in this piece, we have witnessed the ugliness and the potential ingrained in sports betting in the U.S. Both aspects are indicative of an entertainment option that is still trying to find its place, mainly due to the rise of online sports books. As a perfect fit for the digital environment that is engulfing society, online sports betting has the ideal space to thrive in. But in a constantly evolving realm, new topics and challenges are arising that need to be tackled.
In recent years, the subject of gambling addiction has gained greater importance due to the rise of online betting. As a result, more measures and initiatives have been introduced to help eliminate this issue, but the challenge stems from the fact the online realm is simply harder to police and monitor. In the coming years, the sports betting landscape in the U.S is expected to grow to cover more states and with new learnings from within the country and from other markets, states will look to enhance and optimize their sports betting models to ensure they are as fair, as interactive, and as responsible as possible.
