The game is ruining the NFL for fans. Blame Chris Christie.

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That’s when the floodgates opened. Since the court’s decision in Murphy v. NCAA five years ago, the title of the case was renamed after the departure of Christies’ successor, a super majority of 37 states now allow sports betting in one form or another, whether online or in person . This happened neither by accident nor because of genuine demand from the American electorate, but because of high-priced blitz lobbying by sports betting companies in state houses across the country. . A series of New York Times investigations last fall found the industry showered lawmakers with freebies, donations and optimistic projections of potential tax revenue that so far have not materialized.

Gambling, when properly regulated and controlled, is not necessarily a danger to the public. States like New Jersey and Nevada have extensive experience in regulating the gambling industry and impose clear limits within their jurisdictions. In states that are newer to the industry, however, ramshackle regulatory structures are insufficient. The Timess series, for example, also reported on the growth of sports betting partnerships with university sports programs, which encourage students to join apps and place risk-free bets to build a future customer base. He also revealed how the sports betting industry associates itself with figures who encourage over-risky betting and unhealthy gambling practices, as well as backgrounds that would not survive the scrutiny of the Nevada Gaming Commission.

It is impossible to know whether any of the Supreme Court justices favor the proliferation of sports betting as a political issue. For Christie, however, the High Court victory is something of a legacy for a two-term governor who left after multiple controversies. The Sports Betting Hall of Fame, which exists, inducted Christie into its ranks in 2019. They laughed at me, he told the National Council of Gambling State Legislators that same year, referring to the professional sports leagues that resisted his legalization campaign. Each of them laughed at me. They are no longer laughing.

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