Tennessee pushes for sports betting
Months after its legalisation, Tennessee has yet to launch sports betting, which is why it will release its proposed rules and hire a director for the program.
US.- Back in May, Tennessee legalised online sports betting. However, there’s still no date for the segment to finally launch in the state.
The state has, however, finally hired a director for its program and will release its proposed rules for the segment.
During the first state, sports betting advisory council meeting last week Thursday, Wanda Young Wilson, a former Tennessee Lottery official and current consultant, said council members will receive draft rules no later than today. Then, thirty days of public and council comment will follow and the lottery board will consider the rules afterwards. Tennessee will then get vendor applications for sports betting.
Jennifer Roberts, a gaming law veteran, will become the sports betting program’s director on December 2.
Tennessee’s legislation
Tennessee became the first state in the US to legalise an online-only sports betting industry in May. While neighbouring states have already legalised – or are rushing to do so – Tennessee still hasn’t approved land-based sports betting.
Governor Bill Lee legalised sports betting even though he declared multiple times that he was against such gambling modality. The Tennessee Sports Gaming Act became law without the Governor’s signature as he did not act on it in the scheduled timeframe. Local laws establish that if a governor doesn’t act on a bill on a specific period, the bill turns into law.
“I am letting House Bill 0001 become law without my signature,” Lee said in a statement. “I do not believe the expansion of gambling through online sports betting is in the best interest of our state, but I do appreciate the General Assembly’s efforts to remove brick and mortar establishments,” he added.
