The Legal Landscape Of Sports Betting In The US And Beyond

July 25, 2023, by Jake Woodward

Sports Betting

The Evolving Legal Landscape Of Sports Betting

If you want to start sports betting, either for fun or to gain profits, before anything, you need to know if it is all legal or not. Unfortunately, although betting is old, it’s illegal everywhere, and you probably don’t want to break the law. But don’t worry; we will cover everything about the legal side of betting on sports in this article.

Sports Betting In The US

Sports betting was always controversial in the United States as betting was long under the control of the organized mafia. And another concern was about people developing a gambling addiction. So it’s still a complex and controversial topic, but in the last decade, we’ve seen a move for the better regarding legalization and regulation. In 2018 the Supreme Court took down PASPA, or Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, passed in 1992. And by doing so, they have allowed all states to choose to legalize sports betting. That takes action only within their borders rather than the whole US.

Since 2018, 33 states have legalized sports betting, and three are in the process of doing so. Also, 26 states have legalized mobile sports betting. Every state is deciding on its unique law and regulation, with most of them opening a particular regulatory body that will oversee and give licenses to establishments that are allowed to offer different betting options. Also, people with permits will pay taxes to government regulatory bodies. Sports gambling is still a complex topic in the US, but this wave of legalization indeed promises a brighter future for betting in America.

Sports Betting In The World

Sports betting outside the US is generally more accepted and regulated, as most countries outside the US have marks deep down in their tradition. So, when they watch sports, people want to support and bet on their teams.

Europe

Many European countries have legalized and regulated sports betting, except for just a few countries, Greece and Turkey. Almost every European country has its own Gambling Commission, which is responsible for the legality and regulation of betting and gambling.

Asia

Asia differs significantly from Europe; betting is legal in a few countries, like the Philippines and Japan. While in others, betting is banned, like in Malaysia and Indonesia. China has also banned sports betting, which is illegal except for government-run lotteries. Because of those bans, many illegal sports are betting all around Asia.

Australia

In Australia, a regulatory body named the Australian Communications and Media Authority has the power over operators licensed to do a bookmaker’s duties. So, in Australia, sports betting is entirely legal and regulated, with dozens of licensed operators offering different betting options. Overall, sports betting legality varies from country to country, but generally, countries outside the US have a great understanding of sports bets and their regulation. Also, many governments don’t want to have problems with underground betting and crimes, so they legalized it and are not missing out on tax revenue.

Closing Thoughts

Betting on sports is not yet legal everywhere in the world, but it is still getting legalized because governments don’t want to miss tax revenue. And, of course, the crime rate is getting lower by legalizing betting.

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