Category Archives: Gambling

Americas governors want Congress to end a longstanding ban on internet gambling at least, enough of them do to warrant the National Governors Association firing off a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff SessionsJeff SessionsColo. drops marijuana club plans over Trump admin uncertainty: report Feds only have funding for 7 miles of Trump's border wall: report 'Sheriff Joe' Arpaio wants Sessions to testify at contempt trial: report MORE.

The regulation of gaming has historically been addressed by the states, the governors explained. While individual governors have different views about offering gaming in a variety of forms within their own states, we agree that decisions at the federal level that affect state regulatory authority should not be made unilaterally without state input.

In his opening remarks during his confirmation hearing, then-Senator Sessions assured his colleagues that if confirmed to lead the agency he would respect your Constitutional duties, your oversight role, and the particularly critically important separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches. Sessions also expressed disdain for agencies that set about their own agendasfocused only on what they feel are the goals of their agency (without giving) sufficient respect to the rule of law.

Yet, during that same confirmation hearing, Sessions indicated that as attorney general he would revisit and likely overturn a 2011 opinion by the agency that restored federal gambling law to Congresss original intent and returned power to regulate intrastate gambling to the states.

Conservative split with GOP mega-donor (and casino owner) Sheldon Adelson over his efforts to block online gambling. https://t.co/3a7JHI4hpG pic.twitter.com/e3U6rmPx2r

Whats your view of Obamas administrations interpretation of the Wire Act law to allow online video poker, prompted Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey GrahamGraham pleased US bombed Afghanistan Graham: Time for Congress to pass Russia sanctions Russia blocks UN resolution on Syria MORE, who has twice introduced bills to ban online gambling. I was shocked at the memorandumand criticized it, Sessions answered. Apparently, there is some justification or argument that can be made to support the Department of Justices position, but I did oppose it when it happened. When asked if he would revisit the decision, Sessions nodded. I would revisit it and make a decision about it based on careful study and I havent gone that far to give you an opinion today, he said.

The comments sent shockwaves throughout the states many of which legalized some form of Internet gambling and many others are still considering proposals to do so. The memo at issue was one issued by the Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) in 2011 making it clear that the Wire Act, a law enacted by Congress in 1961 to prosecute the mobs telephone sports betting rackets, only prohibits interstate sports gambling.

Though Graham and a handful of other Republicans insist that the OLCs opinion was a unilateral reinterpretation of the Wire Act, it actually restored the law to the original meaning intended by the Congress that enacted it. As I thoroughly detailed in a 2014 study for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, there is no doubt that law was meant to assist the states in the enforcement of their laws, and not to create a blanked federal prohibition on all Internet gambling.

Opponents of state efforts to legalize online gambling have seized on Sessionss comments, claiming it is indicative of an unstable legal environment as a way to scare state legislatures that are considering proposals to legalize online gambling. Everyone is sort of waiting to hear what the DOJ has to say, Pennsylvania Rep. Aaron Kaufer told reporters. With the fluid situation in Washington, internet gambling is an unreliable and possibly nonexistent source of revenue, David Cookson warned during this months joint hearing on Internet gambling proposals before the Pennsylvania legislature. Cookson represents casino-owner Sheldon Adelsons Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling.

While a small number of Republicans want a federal online gambling ban, many other Republicans, free market organizations, and proponents of federalism have loudly opposed a ban. As he indicated in his testimony, Sessions should be on the side of letting Congress make the lawsnot the DOJ.

As a Republican, he should also favor letting people and the states that represent them make their own decisions and be very cautious about setting a dangerous anti-federalism precedent, not just for online gambling, but for any number of other politically disfavored activities. The decisions made now about online gambling will impact all sorts of issues for years to come.

Michelle Minton is a fellow specializing in consumer policy for the Competitive Enterprise Institute.

The views expressed by contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.

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Republicans of all people should shun federal online gambling ban - The Hill (blog)

Seaborn Larson, Great Falls Tribune 4:54 p.m. MT April 13, 2017

Dylan Hayes Stephens(Photo: Courtesy Photo)

Police arrested a man Wednesday after he unknowingly dropped a bag of heroin on the floor of a Great Falls casino, according to court documents.

Dylan Hayes Stephens, 41, is charged with criminal possession of dangerous drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia, both felonies, as well as carrying a concealed weapon.

If convicted, he faces a possible $51,000 fine and a maximum six years imprisonment.

An employee at Lucky Lils at 1401 10th Ave. S. told Great Falls police he saw a customer dropping a small baggie of what looked like heroin on the ground. The employee picked it up and called police while the customer, later identified by police as Stephens, continued gambling, according to court documents.

Two officers arrested Stephens at the casino and allegedly found three more small bindles of what appeared to be heroin, a syringe and a brass knuckle/knife weapon, according to police reports. The heroin weighed 1.8 grams, according to court documents.

According to charging documents, Stephens has been convicted of theft, criminal trespass to vehicles, obstructing a police officer and theft of a nonferrous metal, which are non-magnetic metals like aluminum and copper. Court documents state these convictions occurred in Montana and Georgia, in addition to a drug possession conviction in Michigan.

The state requested his bail bet set at $10,000.

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Man allegedly drops heroin in casino, keeps gambling - Great Falls Tribune

Pardon the National Football League if, when it comes to gambling, the league instructs its players to do what I say, not what I do.

The NFL, which just overwhelmingly approved a move of the Oakland Raiders to the gambling mecca of Las Vegas, is investigating the participation by a group of NFL players in a charity arm-wrestling tournament at a Las Vegas casino over the weekend.

Steelers linebacker James Harrison was a co-host of the event, which also included teammate Maurkice Pouncey among a reported 20-30 former and current NFL players.

Their presence at the Pro Football Arm Wrestling championship at the MGM Grand Casino violated an NFL policy.

We just became aware of the event and will look into it further, said Brian McCarthy, the NFLs vice president of communications. This is a longstanding policy.

None of the players are likely to be suspended, but a league source told the Post-Gazette those involved likely would be fined. Apparently, commissioner Roger Goodell or whoever else he instructs to take such action would do so with a straight face, even though the NFL has gotten into bed with gambling more and more in recent years.

The most obvious came two weeks ago when NFL owners approved by a vote of 31-1 the Raiders move to Las Vegas, a city built on gambling. No gambling interests are directly involved in the move after casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson pulled out of a deal to help build the Raiders new stadium.

But does anyone believe the Raiders are moving to Vegas because it is a quaint desert city of 583,756 people? Without gambling, there would be no NFL team moving to Las Vegas, which seems contradictory to the leagues long-standing philosophy.

Steelers linebacker James Harrison was a co-host ofa charity arm-wrestling tournament at a Las Vegas casino over the weekend.(Peter Diana/Post-Gazette)

As a close friend of Harrisons said, The casinos own everything in Las Vegas. If an NFL player plays golf at one of the casino golf tournaments, its a violation.

But its not just the Raiders move; Draft Kings, the fantasy football gambling site, has been an NFL sponsor for years, along with individual teams. The Steelers are one of them Draft Kings advertises on the scoreboards at Heinz Field.

Andrew Brandt, NFL business analyst for ESPN and former vice president of the Green Bay Packers, blistered the league for getting in bed with fantasy gambling sites.

Brandt wrote that the walls between the NFL and gambling are being broken down, in large part due to new monetization angles and revenue streams flowing from Daily Fantasy Sports.

The leagues stance is that besides games of chance, casinos in Las Vegas also have legal bookies that accept bets on sporting events. Betting on its games remains a strict no-no, and the NFL wants to avoid any association between its players and legal or illegal sports books.

The league currently is fighting New Jersey in the courts over that states attempt to legalize gambling on pro sports games. A 1992 federal law bans sports betting, but that is being challenged. The next step could be the Supreme Court after the leagues won their case in the lower courts. If New Jersey would win, other states surely would follow.

Three racetracks in Delaware permit betting on NFL games, but each gambler must pick a three-game parlay and win them all to cash in.

The most famous case of gambling in the NFL came when commissioner Pete Rozelle suspended Green Bays Paul Hornung and Detroits Alex Karras for the 1963 season after finding they had gambled small amounts of money on NFL games.

Former Steelers running back Jerome Bettis drew the leagues ire in 2004 when it emerged he owned a stake in a partnership that sought to build a $500 million horse racing track, slot machine casino and residential development in Hays. And several of Dan Rooneys brothers, who had financial ties to horse and dog tracks, had to sell their financial interest in the team to comply with league rules.

The NFLs anti-gambling policy, distributed to each player in a manual he receives from the league, prohibits all NFL personnel from engaging in any advertising or promotional activities that reasonably can be perceived as constituting affiliation with or endorsement of gambling or gambling-related activities including, without limitation, the following:

Making promotional appearances at casinos or other gambling-related establishments.

Making promotional appearances at events that are sponsored by or otherwise marketed or advertised in connection with casinos or other gambling-related establishments.

Using or allowing others to use ones name and/or image to promote, advertise, or publicize casinos, other gambling-related establishments, or events sponsored by or otherwise marketed or advertised in connection with casinos or other gambling-related establishments.

Harrison promoted the arm wrestling tournament on his Twitter and Instagram accounts over the past several days.

He showed a photo of him and pro arm wrestler Travis Bagent about to compete on Sunday with the words, Lockin up with the Champ. He also posed for various photos he posted on social media. Marshawn Lynch also participated. Lynch, who retired from the Seattle Seahawks after the 2015 season, reportedly wants to return to play for the Raiders this year.

The tournament was taped by CBS and will be broadcast by the network May 27, according to Harrison.

Neither Harrison nor his representatives responded to requests for comment, but a close friend of the linebacker said he never gave it a thought that he was violating any NFL policy.

This is one of those things you dont even think about, he said.

The NFL has stopped its players from participating in other casino events, but has not always been consistent in that regard.

In 2015, the league warned Tony Romo, who retired last week as Dallas Cowboys quarterback, and other players not to participate in the National Fantasy Football Convention at a Las Vegas casino and that event was canceled as was another in 2016.

The league has been sued by various entities over the cancellation or relocation of such events under threats that the players would be either unable to attend or would be disciplined if they had.

One such suit was filed last year by the nonprofit Strikes for Kids after the charity said the NFL pressured it into moving its 2015 event out of a Las Vegas casino bowling alley. A reported 25 NFL players were to participate.

Theres no consistency with what the NFL does in regards to these policies, Strikes for Kids attorney Julie Pettit told the Legal Sports Report. The NFL has a tendency to selectively enforce their own policies when its convenient for them or when it makes sense for them.

Fan Expo LLC also sued the NFL in October for more than $1 million in damages over the canceled NFF convention in Las Vegas last summer, according to ESPN.

Other events involving NFL players at casinos reportedly have not come under scrutiny by the league, including a 2014 Strikes for Kids event held at a casino, according to the Legal Sports Report.

Ed Bouchette: ebouchette@post-gazette.com and on Twiiter @EdBouchette.

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James Harrison incident challenges NFL's gambling double standard - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The future of gambling under Governor Ivey WIAT 42 Lawmakers on both side of the aisle don't think gambling will make the list under Governor Ivey. Democrats, like Rep. Rod Scott of Fairfield, says gambling is a partisan issue, that won't change as long as Republicans overwhelmingly control the state ... and more »

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The future of gambling under Governor Ivey - WIAT 42

A program through which people voluntarily ban themselves from Marylands six casino is being criticized as toothless and unhelpful by local gambling addicts.

About 1,400 people have enrolled in the program, which was required under the state law authorizing the opening of the casinos almost a decade ago. It mirrors self-exclusion programs of neighboring states with casinos.

The states lottery and gaming commission administers the Maryland Voluntary Exclusion Program, which allows problem gamblers to enroll in an official state database of customers banned from entering the states casinos, including the new MGM National Harbor casino in Prince Georges County. Enrollees who are caught on a casino floor face arrest and a formal trespassing charge from police.

An I-Team review of the program found a fast-rising number of enrollees, including 28 in the past few weeks, but also found the self-exclusion lists generally require gamblers to police themselves. State regulators do not require casinos to check IDs of customers and do not utilize facial recognition software or license plate readers to detect excluded gamblers who enter the premises of the six Maryland casinos.

National Council on Problem Gambling Director Keith Whyte said self-exclusion lists are used in many states that allow casino gambling but the lists lack strong enforcement.

I think it's very difficult for casinos to enforce, Whyte said. They get thousands of customers a day. You're never asked for identification when you start losing. In fact, you're never asked when you start to play. You can lose as much as you want without being identified."

A D.C.-area problem gambler told the News4 I-Team he frequently entered and departed casinos undetected in the months after joining the voluntary exclusion program. He said he hoped the program would help him combat his addiction and keep him out of the new MGM National Harbor casino.

Im mad at myself for what I've done and I also feel disappointed that the program that I thought was there to help me isn't (helping), he said.

There are several safeguards to help police, casino security and state regulators detect voluntary exclusion participants who enter casinos, state officials said. Federal regulations require winners show identification if they win more than $1,200. The voluntary exclusion program also prevents participants from using their players club cards or from cashing checks inside Maryland casinos.

Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency Responsible Gambling Coordinator Mary Drexler said participants are warned the voluntary exclusion program requires self-policing.

In the application itself it says it straight out: You are really responsible for your own behavior," Drexler said.

The agency and Whyte said self-exclusion lists are only one tool to be utilized by addicted gamblers. Hotlines, treatment programs and Gamblers Anonymous are best used to fully combat an addiction, they said. The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency provides information for how to obtain treatment and guidance in its enrollment packet for the voluntary exclusion program.

Self-exclusion is a good program and can help some people, but unless it's surrounded by a more comprehensive program, it's unlikely to thoroughly help people, especially those with severe gambling problems," Whyte said.

The state is researching the use of license plate reader devices to detect the automobiles of gamblers enrolled in the self-exclusion program, Drexler said.

It's just in the research stages, she said. There is nothing set in stone at this time, but we do think that may be one more avenue that may be helpful."

We take every reasonable opportunity to ensure that people on the Voluntary Exclusion Program list are not on our property engaging in gaming," MGM said in a statement. "We do not ID every person through the door but we provide the photo and description for each person in the program to Surveillance and Security. We also upload it to into our Internal customer databases so as to flag any gaming activity under the person's name.

At Live! Casino, we take our responsibility to prevent problem gaming very seriously," a Maryland Live! spokeswoman said. "The States Voluntary Exclusion Program requires casinos to refrain from marketing directly to individuals who sign up for the program. It also places the responsibility for staying out of casinos on the program participants themselves. We support this effort on multiple levels, including using technology and security measures to identify and remove such players from our facility."

Anne Arundel County Police records show the agency has cited at least 43 people for violating the self-exlucsion list at Maryland Live! casino since January 2016.

While it is the self-excluded individuals responsibility to stay out of casinos, we deploy extensive measures to help ensure those who have entered the voluntary exclusion program are unable to gamble at our casino," a Horseshoe Casino spokesman said. "We maintain a database of self-excluded individuals, utilize information-technology platforms and conduct extensive team member training to help identify those who are violating the programs conditions by visiting the casino. Consistent with the voluntary exclusion programs terms - and to deter future prohibited behavior on the part of self-excluded individuals - we report all known violators to the local authorities to be charged with criminal trespassing.

Reported by Scott MacFarlane, produced by Rick Yarborough, and shot and edited by Steve Jones.

Published at 10:50 PM EDT on Apr 10, 2017 | Updated at 11:47 PM EDT on Apr 10, 2017

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Gambling Addicts Find Voluntary Maryland Casino Ban Unhelpful - NBC4 Washington

Later this year Atlantic City gamblers will be able to boldly go where no gamer has gone before.

New York-headquartered GameCo has entered into a license agreement with CBS Consumer Products to produce skill-based gambling video games based on the Star Trek franchise.

As South Jersey tries to diversify its economy to escape the painful lessons of over-relianc

Set to debut in the fall, GameCos first game under the license agreement, Star Trek Deep Space Nine Adventure.

The first game will let players take the helm of the U.S.S. Defiant and fight others in ship-to-ship combat.

The gambling platform allows a players skill in video games to determine the payout and winnings, while maintaining the same casino economics as slot machines.

The company released the first video game-based gambling machines last year at Caesars three Atlantic City properties and at Tropicana Atlantic City.

The Star Trek game will feature 3D models of the spacecraft aimed to attract fans of both Star Trek and the space combat genre. Future games will be based on other Star Trek series including the Original Series, The Next Generation, Voyager and Enterprise.

GameCo, which is privately owned, says it will release at least 10 more titles in 2017, including games based on Paramounts Mission Impossible, Paranormal and Ferris Bueller, as well as Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

The industry has been trying to attract younger gamblers by offering them something outside the scope of traditional slot machines.

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Star Trek gambling coming to Atlantic City - Press of Atlantic City

CHAMPAIGN The city council voted Tuesday to allow two newly licensed video-gambling establishments to set up terminals, while noting that the negative effects of video gambling should continue to be addressed.

The vote amends a moratorium prohibiting new liquor licensees, which aren't regulated separately from gambling providers, from having terminals. It also extends the moratorium's expiration date from June 7 to July 18 "to allow council sufficient time to conduct a study session to consider the options for a longer-term video-gaming moratorium," according to a city report.

Deputy city manager Matt Roeschley confirmed that the amendment is a one-time thing. The two establishments, as of Feb. 21, didn't have liquor-license applications on file but had submitted a building-permit application and had invested at least $25,000 into it.

"The moratorium detrimentally impacts new businesses that ... are not eligible to provide new gaming but had already made substantial financial investments toward the establishment of gaming," according to the city report.

All council members voted for this except council member Clarissa Nickerson Fourman. She said one of the applicants, the Lucky Diamond establishment at 920 W. Bradley Ave., is in a poorly lit area with a crime-ridden past. The other establishment is Libby's Lounge at 905 S. Neil St., Suite A.

"I don't want to deny the other (establishment), but I'm uncomfortable with this being in this location and I have very high concerns," Fourman said.

Other council members said they wanted to approve the amendment and address concerns like Fourman's in the future.

"I'd be remiss if we don't keep our eye on the fact that (gaming) is a definite issue in our community and I look to have spirited discussion on this when it comes back to study session in July," council member Greg Stock said.

There was no public comment before the council voted on the amendment, and council member Matt Gladney encouraged residents to make themselves heard, especially at the summer study session.

"Sometimes we don't hear from people until after we've voted," Gladney said. "If you have an opinion about this, feel free to contact us. I'm willing to hear from people who have opinions from the other side."

In other business, the council also unanimously approved an engineering agreement, not to exceed $1,237,540, with Champaign's Farnsworth Group Inc. for final design and floodplain remapping of Boneyard Creek's upper area. This is part of the Boneyard Creek North Branch improvements project.

Also, Champaign Township supervisor Andy Quarnstorm announced Tuesday that the township is now participating in the C-U Fresh Start program to curb gun violence. The program launched last fall and has been at work in Champaign and Urbana so far. Quarnstorm said the township has received some funding to help those in the program put down their guns and rebuild their lives.

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Champaign council OKs video gambling at 2 more businesses - Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette

A new study shows that nearly 70 percent of people in Finland want the government to keep its monopoly on gambling, according to an Yle-commissioned poll.

Citizens still prefer the state having control over gambling, despite arguments made in recent years against that setup. The size of the gambling market in Finland is more than 2.5 billion, which includes lotteries and casino games, both live and online.

Gambling is big in the country, as it ranks within the top 10 gambling nations in the world.

The country has produced some of the most feared high-stakes players over the years, including all-time online poker money earner Patrik Antonius, online greats Sami Kelopuro, Jens Kyllnen and Ilari Sahamies, as well as tournament star Juha Helppi.

Online gaming is becoming big business there. According to Gaming Zion, the average Finn spends 14 per week gambling. According to recent studies, as many as 80 percent of adult Finns gamble at least once a year.

At the height of the poker boom, there were an estimated 125,000 online poker players in Finland. Online poker first became regulated in the country in 2010.

In 2017 the best Finnish online casinos are set to have a banner year. Same goes for other games available on mobile.

The Finnish company Next Games in March became the first Finnish gaming company to go public, according to a report from Reuters. Next Games is behind The Walking Dead mobile game. Additionally, the Finnish games-maker Rovio Entertainment is behind the hit Angry Birds.

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Finns Want State To Keep Gambling Monopoly - CardPlayer.com

The most notorious outlaws of the Wild West were never without a firearm while gambling in a saloon. Everything from derringers to pocket pistols were concealed. Gambling and firearms soon became an infamous pair in the Old West. Cowboys loved the thrill of gambling so much that they even created traveling gambling boxes for when they were out on the trail. These cases carried cards, dice, chips and some even had a roulette wheel. These traveling gambling boxes are so rare now that they have become a high valued collectors item. American Legacy Firearms is proud to resurrect that concept and add some character with an exclusive engraved firearm.

With its leather covered corners and classic brass locks, the case can easily be mistaken for your everyday briefcase. Once you open the lid, the classic Western crushed red velvet interior will capture your eyes. The case is designed to hold the cards, poker chips and dice complete. Each compartment is snug so that it can be taken everywhere. Below all of the gambling accessories however lies the heart and soul of the case; A stainless steel Ruger Vaquero .45 Long Colt that is ornately engraved with the iconic symbols of gambling. Engravings of the Dead Mans Hand from the Wild Bill Hickock tale and the royal flush are some of the custom engravings on the gun.

The revolver comes with the birds head grips which were a concealed carry style in the Old West. Situated beside the revolver is a 5 oz flask that can be personalized with a phrase or sentence of your choice. The engravings capture the spirit of the game and make a unique addition to any gambler. This is the most unique gambling set available today! From your firearm to your flask, you have it all in one case! Whether youre looking to own a rare firearm set or wanting to add something exclusive to the man cave, this gambler case is for you!

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American Legacy Firearms opened its doors in 2004. Since then, we constantly strive to be the leaders in our corner of the gun industry. Our goal has always been to deliver quality engraved firearms at an affordable price. We believe in art with a bang- the idea that paper and canvas are not the only medium available for creating a piece of art that you can hang on your wall.

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The Gambler: An Ode to Gambling in the Wild West - duPont REGISTRY (blog)

The announcement the NFL Oakland Raiders will move to Las Vegas in two years looks to be a major step in eliminating the barriers between pro sport and gambling that have existed nearly a century since baseballs Black Sox scandal of 1919.

There were days not long ago when the National Football League feared its players even paying a visit to Las Vegas.

And they werent alone. The mere thought of Sin City intersecting with operations of any major sports league sent the billable hours of their public-relations machines spiraling out of control.

Not any more.

The announcement the Oakland Raiders will move to Las Vegas in two years looks to be a major step in eliminating the barriers between pro sports and gambling that have existed nearly a century since baseballs Black Sox scandal of 1919.

At least, thats how Geoff Freeman sees it. As president of the American Gaming Association, trade representative aka lobby group for the nations casino industry, he views the Raiders move as confirmation of sports betting having gone mainstream.

I think it speaks to the mainstream nature of the industry and why youre seeing greater comfort in working more closely with the industry, Freeman said. Already, in the case of the NFL, you have 28 of the 32 teams within an hour of an existing casino. And so, the omnipresence of the industry has changed the outlook on the industry.

And thats a big deal, especially when you consider Pete Rose remains ineligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame because he bet on games nearly 30 years ago.

The 1992 federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) allows sports gaming only in Nevada, Delaware, Oregon and Montana. As a result, Freeman says, there is a thriving illegal market encompassing 97 percent of the $150 billion his group estimates is bet annually on sports.

Freeman says the integrity fears that accompany the idea of mixing sports and gambling can be better policed through regulation. The bigger threat, he adds, is an unregulated environment in which illicit entities control the market and are not easily tracked via online data.

He says states in the business of regulating other forms of gambling have proven to be effective regulators.

The NFL isnt the first league to put a team in Vegas, but definitely the most powerful. The Las Vegas 51s, a Class AAA affiliate of the New York Mets, have been around 34 years in various incarnations after moving from of all places Spokane. But the major pro teams didnt show up until last year, when the NHL awarded the expansion Golden Knights as its 31st franchise opening play this fall.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver had already raised eyebrows in 2014 when he declared he felt legalized sports betting was inevitable and leagues would benefit from a regulated version of it. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred upped the ante in 2015 by partnering with the daily fantasy sports site DraftKings, whose operations have been likened to gambling.

Through it all, the NFL seemed the lone holdout, even drawing the line at fantasy sports partnerships. Skeptics note the league has for years published weekly injury reports either to depending on your level of cynicism encourage gambling around games or discourage the providing of inside information by players.

But the league, even with daily fantasy ads splattered across its television broadcasts in 2015, had drawn a firm line in not partnering with those companies. Now, with an NFL team about to be smack dab in the hub of the nations legal gambling universe, the argument for separation between sport and bet becomes tougher.

A poll commissioned by the AGA of 1,334 Seahawks fans over a two-week period in December and January found nearly three times as many favored legalizing sports betting than opposed it.

The Morning Consult poll with a margin for error of 3 percent found 48 percent of Seahawks fans favored legalized sports gaming, 17 percent opposed it and 35 percent were undecided or had no opinion.

The AGA has long lobbied for the repeal of PASPA and was joined in October by former NBA commissioner David Stern, who reversed his stance on the issue and sided with successor Silver. A month later, the election of casino magnate Donald Trump as U.S. president further buoyed those arguing PASPA isnt in step with American views.

The reasons for leagues getting involved are obvious. Even a fraction of the overall sports-gaming pie could help leagues double annual revenues. And Freeman makes no bones about daily fantasy sports paving the way for leagues to partner directly with gaming interests.

Daily fantasy sports has been and will continue to be a gift for the introduction of regulated sports betting, he said. People recognize daily fantasy sports for what it is, first of all. But then secondly, it really awoke the leagues, owners, broadcasters and others as to the potential of generating more fan affinity for these games. And thats been remarkable.

We know people are engaged in the games. We know they are likely to consume more of the games. We know that people who fill out brackets are more likely to watch the NCAA tournament.

So, going from that to leagues actually allowing fans to place bets on their websites isnt much of a leap. Freeman feels the NFL doing due diligence and allowing a team into Las Vegas represents the most reticent of leagues slowly joining the rest.

He calls this a perfect storm of politicians, leagues and law enforcement coming together to demand a regulated betting environment and expects PASPA to be repealed during Trumps first term.

And once that happens, all bets are off as to how far leagues might take it.

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Barriers between pro sports and gambling appear to be falling - The Seattle Times