MLS Commissioner to back sports betting

The official said he’s ready to back the legalisation of the sports betting industry in the United States.

US.- Commissioner of the Major League Soccer Don Garber said that he’s okay with backing the legalisation of sports betting on a federal level in the United States if the proposals include proper regulation of the industry.

Garber announced his position on Saturday during SXSW, the annual conference that discussed among leaders how technology changes games. “We have a project going on now to really dig in deeply and understand it. I’ll be the third commissioner (along with NBA’s Adam Silver and MLB’s Rob Manfred) in and say I’m very open to understanding how we can get more engaged in this market in a way that I think if done properly, can be regulated and managed and controlled. I’ll join the chorus of saying it’s time to bring it out of the dark ages,” he said.

The commissioner also affirmed that they’re doing everything they can to figure out how to properly manage the industry. Nevada, Oregon, Delaware, and Montana were granted special exemptions, as all four of those states were offering some variation of sports lotteries back in 1992. The American Gaming Association said in January that they are encouraged because the U.S. Supreme Court has expressed interest in the problems posed by The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), the failed law that fuels a US$150 billion illegal sports betting market.

A new report from the Competitive Enterprise Institute released this month revealed that lifting the ban would generate more revenue for the states, and it would help professional and amateur leagues because it would guarantee the integrity of them. PASPA, which was passed in 1992, prevents states from offering gambling lines on sports. There are several states trying to amend it.