Twenty years ago — or even 10 years ago — someone may have laughed at you if you had said that gambling and sports betting might soon be legal in almost all 50 states. Until recently, it was taken for granted that only a very few, specific places such as Native American reservations, Las Vegas and Atlantic City would be able to permit gambling and sports betting.
However, times have massively changed and now hardly a year goes by without another state either liberalizing its regulatory stance on gambling and betting or legalizing it altogether. Many of the states that have not yet reformed their laws regarding gambling are now in the process of considering whether or not to bring such reforms to the docket.
The rise of online gambling and digital casinos has presented state and local governments with a new issue regarding regulation, control and taxation. However, most states have acknowledged the significance of online gambling and how popular it is across the country. There is still much more change on the horizon, but the future looks bright for those who enjoy sports betting and gambling.
A difficult year for state and local governments
The last 18 months have proven extremely difficult for local and state governments. The ongoing health crisis has led most municipalities across America to scramble for cash in order to meet the new levels of demand placed on healthcare services. As city, county and state governments begin to look to the next fiscal year and the new costs which are starting to mount, many of them are looking for new ways to generate revenue in order to finance important healthcare and infrastructure projects.
The liberalization and legalization of sports betting and online gambling has provided many governments — both big and small — with the revenue they need to provide their residents with essential services. Betting and gambling, both in person at brick and mortar establishments and online, has proven to be extremely popular over the course of the last 10 years.
The popularity of betting and gambling allows state and local governments to tax the revenue and winnings which players make and use the tax money to fund healthcare supports and other infrastructure projects and civic efforts. The renewed need for more financing is likely helping to push previously hesitant governments towards legalization of gambling and betting.
The rise of sports betting
For years, sports betting has been incredibly popular in places where it is legal in America as well as in countries like the United Kingdom and Ireland. However, in most places in the United States, someone who wants to make a sports bet will need to travel to a brick and mortar casino and make the bet in person. This is obviously something of a difficult and awkward thing to do, especially as people who enjoy sports betting most often are also huge sports fans and have no desire to drive across the city right before a game.
However, online sports betting has given gamblers the option to conveniently place bets from wherever they are on their laptops, phones or tablets. This means that a person who wants to place a bet on a particular game could do so while watching the game from the comfort of a sports bar, tailgate or house party. While online sports betting has given rise to a plethora of different bookies and providers, websites can review and summarize each to assist punters in picking a bookie suitable for them.
The rise of online sports betting has greatly changed the industry and forced many of the biggest companies in the space to rethink their digital strategies. You can learn more online about sports betting, the odds for specific games and the best sports betting platforms to use – see more. As more states continue to reassess their stance on gambling and sports betting, they are also reassessing their stances on online casino and betting platforms. It is only a matter of time before the legislation is enacted to support online sports betting platforms, as it is such a popular way for gamblers to place bets.
Looking ahead to the future of sports betting
The future for betting in America looks bright as an increasing number of states move towards partial or full legalization. Although America does not yet have a culture of sports betting similar to that which you might find in countries such as England and Ireland, America is home to many sports fans who will leap at the chance to engage further with the sport. In 10 to 20 more years, it is likely that sports betting will become just as popular here as it is elsewhere.
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