Regulated Sports Betting Now on the Radar Scope
Betting MLB
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred indicated in a recent interview that the league is getting prepared for the future of regulated sports betting. Legalized and regulated sport betting outside of Nevada is now a strong signal on the radar scope of the major sports industry.
His interview comments were an admission by a major sports league that legalized sports betting is part of the sports topics and not ignored and stigmatized anymore.
Commissioner Manfred was doing the interview on ESPN Radio on the opening day of baseball. The topic of sports betting is a common question that his interviews usually reflect. Key parts of the interview from the Mike & Mike ESPN Radio show are quoted below.
Mike Greenberg: The other thing that has come up in a big way in the last week or so with the NFL’s pending move to Las Vegas, is the issue of sports gambling and the potential for it being legalized in this country. [NBA Commissioner] Adam Silver has talked in what I consider to be a very progressive way about that of late. What is your stance and what is the stance of Major League Baseball about the possibility of legalization of sports gambling going forward?
Manfred: I think Adam has done a nice job of making people aware that the landscape on sports gambling is changing around us, has changed dramatically. And in part in response to his comments but in response to just general developments in the area, we’ve begun a conversation with the owners. It’s educational at the begging, in the sense in that sports gambling has changed a lot. I mean, you know the old division of betting illegally with a bookie somewhere is not today’s world.
We’ve begun a conversation educating people about what’s out there, what sports leagues in other countries have done, in an effort to make sure Major League Baseball is ready to join in what I think is going to be a dialogue about how sports gambling regulation in the United States should be changed.
Mike Golic: You know NFL is going to be there, the NHL is there as well. Do you think owners would approve of a team ever playing in Las Vegas?
Manfred: The answer lies in what I just said. Gambling now — you can bet on sports wherever you are, any time of day we all know that. I think as a result of that, no one in baseball feels that Las Vegas is somehow disqualified because of the gaming industry being there.
Manfred revealed some inner thoughts on the easing attitude MLB has toward legalized betting on baseball and other sports. The case for reexamining their stance on sports betting is gaining traction from MLB studies and research on sports betting.
Manfred did mention in previous interviews with the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Las Vegas could be a viable market. “I don`t think that the presence of legalized gambling in Las Vegas should necessarily disqualify that market as a potential major league city” stated Manfred. MLB is not looking to expand to Las Vegas or any other city but the premise shows the changed direction of major league sports towards legalized sports betting.
The reality of major league sports teams playing in the legalized sports betting confines of Las Vegas and Nevada has already got the stamp of approval from the NFL owners and the NHL franchise Las Vegas Knights. Aside from the old stigma against sports betting and the ethics and morals issues, the sports betting industry is a multi-billion dollar growing giant with enormous tax potential and economic stimulus. Untapped revenue for states and another form of entertainment for those wanting to play.
