Senator Chuck Schumer Offers Suggestions for Federal Guidelines on Sports Betting
Among the many ideas suggested for a federal framework on sports gambling, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) proposed that sports leagues should have a say in what can be bet on and the leagues should monitor the gambling, according to a memo received by ESPN.
Schumer also suggests that only official league data should be used to decide outcomes for all sports books. Additionally, Schumer recommended that suspicious activities should be reported in a way so information can be shared with sports books, the leagues and state officials who could work to make sure the integrity of the games is not being compromised.
"As a New York sports fan—especially my Yankees and Giants—and a senator, my priority in the wake of the Murphy v. NCAA decision is making sure the integrity of the games we love is preserved, that young people and those suffering from gambling addiction are not taken advantage of, and that consumers that choose to engage in sports betting are appropriately protected," Schumer said in a statement. "With the Supreme Court's ruling, it's incumbent on the federal government to take a leadership role and provide the necessary guidance to prevent uncertainty and confusion for the leagues, state governments, consumers and fans alike."
The Murphy v. NCAA ruling lifted the federal ban on sports betting that was a result of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992. The previous law restricted sports betting to just a few states that had legalized it prior to PASPA taking effect. Since the ban was lifted, New Jersey, Delaware and Mississippi have started taking sports bets.
On Wednesday, the MLB, NBA and PGA Tour released a joint statement, saying the organizations "strongly support" Schumer's suggestions.
"As legalized sports betting spreads across the states, there is a need for consistent, nationwide integrity standards to safeguard the sports millions of fans love. We strongly support the legislative framework outlined by Senator Schumer and we encourage Congress to adopt it."
ESPN's Darren Rovell notes that Schumer's suggested framework did not mention "integrity fees," which the leagues have been pushing for as a way to help cover the cost for their efforts to monitor sports betting and assure that it is not impacting the game in a negative way.
"The stakes are too high—legal sports betting laws must be crafted and executed in a careful and thoughtful way," Schumer said. "As state legislatures develop new legislation in the weeks and months ahead, I hope they will take these principles under consideration. I also support the efforts in the Congress to debate and develop bipartisan federal legislation that would adhere to these principles. The integrity of sports is too precious to not protect as best we can."
Schumer also mentioned sports betting should be illegal for anyone under 21 and entities taking bets should disclose the dangers of gambling and responsibly advertise away from the youth as well.
