Illinois is one of 38 states that have legalized sports betting, and now Congress is getting involved.
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing Tuesday entitled “America’s High-Stakes Bet on Legalized Sports Gambling.”
Committee Chair Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Springfield, said while sports leagues once opposed sports betting, leagues, franchises and networks now partner with betting companies and have integrated gambling into sporting events and broadcasts.
“It is virtually impossible to watch a sporting event today without being barraged by ads encouraging you to bet or hearing from celebrity endorsers about the latest parlay you should try,” said Durbin.
Sports betting has exploded ever since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Murphy v. NCAA struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018.
The committee says an estimated 2.5 million U.S. adults meet the criteria for a severe gambling problem and the risk of problem gambling has risen by around 30% between 2018 and 2021 alone.
Durbin said he is concerned about the student athletes around the country.
“Problem gambling is not the only negative side of legalized sports betting, as sports betting has spread the actual games and cheering for your team have become less important for many individuals who are more focused on the point spread or player props,” said Durbin. “When a bet doesn’t hit, angry betters often take it out on the players.”
U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC, suggested forming a commission that would study the issue for a year and propose federal rules applicable to the states that have legalized sports betting.
Illinois is the third largest sports betting state in the country. According to Illinois Gaming Board records, the state’s 11 active sportsbooks raked in just over $1 billion last year, sending $150 million in tax revenue to the state.
