Sports Betting Might Expand Under Trump Administration

Legalized sports betting just might expand over the next four years when President-elect Trump assumes the White House and the Republican Party takes control of both chambers of Congress.

According to the R Street Institute, a public policy think tank in Washington, DC, that mostly promotes conservative and libertarian ideas.

The R Street Institute believes that Mr. Trump's long history in gambling could encourage him to back legislation for the legalization of sports betting on a federal level.

Although he is not as successful as the international casino magnates Steve Wynn or Sheldon Adelson, Mr. Trump has no record of any moral opposition to gambling as a business. The R Street author, Steve Titch, explains that there is no reason to believe that under President-elect Trump there would be expanding prohibition on the agenda, or that there would be opposition to greater liberalization, if it can create or increase the revenue streams for the economic agenda.

The R Street might sound familiar to observers of online gaming. In the first hearing of Restoration of America's Wire Act (RAWA) in April of 2015, Mr. Moylan was a lone voice opposing the anti-online gaming bill.

Not So Easy Street

For legalized sports betting to reach its full potential, the lines will need to be offered online and through players' mobile devices. That might be a difficult hurdle.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) sat on the R Street's legislative advisory board when he was a member of the Texas State Senate.

Mr. Paxton recently, along with nine other state attorneys general, joined in signing a letter to Mr. Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence urging the future Oval Office occupants to support legislation restoring the Wire Act and to ban all forms of internet gaming.

Last month, five of the states joined together with New Jersey asking the US Supreme Court to consider the ruling of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals last August.

New Jersey believes that it should have the right to offer sports betting if the majority of the Garden State residents agree and want in on the game. It is not clear when the Supreme Court might consider if it is going to take on the case.