Research Brief: PASPA U.S. Sports Betting Three Years Later – May 2021

Jack Gallaway

Research Brief: PASPA U.S. Sports Betting Three Years Later – May 2021

Three years ago, the Supreme Court of the United States (“SCOTUS”) made a historic decision in Murphy v. NCAA, in favor of states’ rights and overturning the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (“PASPA”). In this decision on PASPA, the Supreme Court has allowed sports betting to now spread across the country with operational sports books in 22 jurisdictions (21 states and the District of Columbia)/ There are eight other jurisdictions (seven states and Puerto Rico) where sports betting is legal, but legislators and regulators are working through the next steps to bring the total number to 30 jurisdictions that have pushed forward since the repeal of PASPA three years ago today.  while some did not expect such a rapid expansion in such a short time, credit is due to Governor Chris Christie for initially pushing this effort on behalf of New Jersey.  It was this initial legal effort that was the catalyst for public opinion to grow in favor of sports betting.  Any assumptions that the overturning of PASPA was done by a public affairs effort, and not by the legal foundations or arguments, discredits the judicial process and the legal framework associated with separation of powers in the United States.

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