Maryland Looking To Legalize Sports Betting: Could This Be A Trend?

Sports betting is currently outlawed in most states of the country, but a large number are looking to change that by passing new laws. One of these is Maryland, one that is attempting to make it easier for the state to create a realistic background for controlling and managing sports betting. Could this set a new trend in the nation?

What Would This Law Do?

Maryland’s law isn’t actually directly attacking that of the federal government. They are only asking for the creation of a task force to study sports betting in the state and are granting the lottery and gaming commission the ability to oversee gambling activity in the state.

It would also make it possible for horse tracks and casinos to get sports betting licenses. This would require canceling the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, a federal law that was put into place to prevent people from taking advantage of inside information to win bets on an amateur or professional level.

What Do The Professional Leagues Think?

What is surprising is that a number of leagues that came out against New Jersey’s appeal to the federal government. This is in spite of the fact that many individuals in the league have stated that they believe carefully controlled legalized gambling could benefit a large number of people in the industry.

The fear is that gambling could attract players and cause them to throw games ala the infamous “Black Sox” scandal. In this instance, the Chicago White Sox threw the championship game in order to get a major payoff. This scandal rocked professional sports in their infancy.

Could This Cause A Chain Reaction Of Legalization?

While there are multiple states currently pursuing legalization attempts such as this, could a passed law by Maryland lead to a chain reaction of similar success in other states?

That is hard to say because it’s hard to decide what will happen in individual state governments. Some may see the major benefit that gambling could have on the economy while others could argue against it on “moral” grounds.

How Would This Benefit State And Federal Governments

The thing that could really change the mind of many states is the reaction it could cause in the economy. If one state legalized gambling and there was a huge financial windfall, it could be easy to imagine other states following suit.

As most states are struggling to balance their budgets right now, this could be a major opportunity for them to get extra money. It could be particularly beneficial if states find a way to make betting safe and to eliminate the negative criminal element that currently attracts some forms of illegal betting.

While this law is still being debated and hasn’t even been voted on yet, its passage could indicate a serious trend towards allowing sports betting or something similar to take place in the nation.

For all those who want legalized sports betting in the country or even their state, there is still some time to wait.