Sports betting in Puerto Rico gets closer
The House of Representatives and the Senate passed sports betting in Puerto Rico but a commission will look into the amended legislation.
Puerto Rico.- Sports betting could arrive in Puerto Rico after PASPA got revoked. That’s why the General Assembly is moving forward with a proposal to regulate the segment.
After the House of Representatives voted 31-12 in favour of the bill, the proposal reached the Senate. There, lawmakers also approved it, but not before amending the bill.
As senators changed the document, a bicameral committee took over to discuss the final version.
“Amendments were set for banks “background check” processes. Said bank has to confirm the information and what got included was extra requirements. That way, when the punter joins the record, such information is available for the bank to validate. That was added to the bill,” Representative Néstor Alonso explained.
Sports betting in Puerto Rico took a huge step and may turn legal soon. However, lawmakers have until Sunday to pass it and send it to the Governor’s desk for final approval.
The proposal
Governor Ricardo Rosselló Nevares filed a proposal to regulate sports betting in Puerto Rico. After the liberalisation in the US, the market seeks to update legislation and launch.
“The industry has the potential to turn Puerto Rico into a leading market. This will allow the segment to establish, which will have a positive effect on the local economy. We’ve been working on aggressive legislation. We aspire to get the island to trade on both national and global levels. We’d be an attractive destination for millions of gamblers worldwide,” Rosselló said.
The legislation considers that, only in the US, the market would generate US$3 billion. The proposal was stalled in the past but is finally making it through.
