The legal sports betting and casino landscape is always in flux. Ever since the 2018 PAPSA Supreme Court decision that opened up the possibility for states to legalize sports gambling, we have witnessed a patchwork unfold. You can check out our guide to legal betting sites by state.
Here we have the latest updates from California, which will have a historic voter referendum on the ballot coming up. We also detail how Las Vegas is handling the explosion of legal gambling across the country, now that their monopoly has officially ended.
Currently more than half of the states legalized local sportsbooks. State after state has been jumping on the sports betting and casino bandwagon. With so much potential tax revenue available for state coffers, it just makes sense.
California will have a ballot initiative in 2022, which required a million signatures. A group of eighteen different tribes across the state of California was able to gather them as they look to expand their betting business.
The Secretary of State of California recently announced that enough signatures had been collected putting it on the ballot in 2022. Voters will have the opportunity to decide whether to allow sports betting on California Tribal lands and also in racetracks that already have licenses. It would also legalize dice and roulette games on tribal casinos, something that has been prohibited up to this point.
So much of the health of Las Vegas’s betting industry has been up for debate since the Supreme Court handed down its PAPSA decision in 2018. They were heavily reliant on the monopoly that the Supreme Court struck down. No one knew if the bettors and tourists would flock to other states.
So far, we have good news for Las Vegas: that does not seem to be the case. Because of the pandemic it has been hard to find direct comparisons. But now that things are opening up and people are traveling again, we have some real data with which to draw a conclusion.
In 2019, in the spring before COVID-19, the combined two-month sports betting handle for Nevada was a huge $645 million. Of course during the height of the pandemic, that figure fell to $56 million.
However, this year in 2021, the number was even higher than either of those two numbers. In April and May, the sports betting handle for Nevada grew all the way up to $901 million. That is nearly a 50% increase over two years ago.
Under the current legal conditions in almost every state in the US, bettors residing there are free to use offshore sportsbooks. In fact, these often offer better bonuses and are a great and convenient option when compared to local sportsbooks.
Even places with brick-and-mortar sportsbooks almost never inhibit access to offshore oddsmakers.
Not only can you trust these sites, but they are the best sports betting options for when it comes to betting online. They allow multiple banking options, and cover plenty of betting markets for more excitement.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football in the Mountain West Conference, and basketball. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones.
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