Categories: Sports News
| Published On Jan 3, 2018 12:54 pm CET  |  Updated on May 6, 2021 7:13 pm CEST | By iGaming Team

Rep. Morrison to push for legalizing sports betting in Indiana

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An Indiana lawmaker, Republican Alan Morrison, made it public that he will sponsor the legislation to legalize sports betting in Indiana if the United States Supreme Court rules in favor of New Jersey in Christie v NCAA. Morrison represents the 42nd district on the east side of the state bordering Illinois.

A decision in the New Jersey case is expected in the spring of 2018. Majority of the case observers believe that the Supreme Court justices will overturn the PASPA, the federal law banning sports betting outside Nevada.

To make a case for the states beyond New Jersey to legally regulate sports betting, the ruling has to be broad enough.

Apart from the Indianapolis-headquartered NCAA, most of the sports authorities have been waiting for an expanded legal, regulated sports betting. The NBA commissioner Adam Silver openly supports legalization of sports betting but has asked for the federal framework preference for the same.

On the other hand, the NCAA president Mark Emmert has expressed closed stance on sports betting, in all forms. The league has refused to host the championship games in regions with legal sports betting, namely Las Vegas.

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Morrison also asked the NCCA to understand the changing landscape of gaming and suggested that Indiana should have rights just like the other states.

When asked of how the NCAA would manage if the sports betting in the U.S. is legalized, the president Emmert said: “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

It’s still a long wait for the Christie v NCAA ruling, but many states have been mulling over legislation contemplating sports betting, some have even prepared framework creating rules for licensing and registration.

Indiana’s neighboring states – Kentucky and Michigan – are already working on sports betting bills. On the other side, Morrison has not introduced a sports betting bill yet but is most likely to do so during the state’s next legislative session which starts on January 8.