Illinois legislators are preparing a bill that will sport betting legalized within the State. The bill aims at creating a legal framework that will assess, monitor, regulate, and license sports betting in Illinois. The proposal came in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling late last year that allowed individual states to come up with legislation governing gambling.
The betting bill is in advanced stages within the Illinois House of Representatives. The latest events relating to the law saw testimonies from the public and related stakeholders. The House Revenue and Finance Committee heard about various aspects of expanding sports betting and related activities. During the public testimony hearing, NBA Senior Vice President Dan Spillane presented his view regarding sports betting.
Secure sports integrity
Dan Spillane opinioned, after the House proceedings that the NBA association was in support of the betting bill. Spillane insisted, although, that the integrity of the sport should be respected and maintained even as lawmakers craft the bill into the law. The NBA vice presided, said that the decency and ethics of sporting activities should be maintained, and the protection of fans placing bets should be enhanced.
Spillane’s opinion relates to the corruption of sporting activities by unscrupulous betting vendors that have resulted in crooked sports activities. Many sporting activities have had manipulation or interference resulting in gambling and related betting activities, a phenomenon experienced globally.
The NBA vice president said that for sport betting to be successful, there is a need to crowd out illegal markets. Successful sports betting will also encourage people to gamble in legal markets, creating jobs and being a source of revenue for the State, he added.
Spillane suggested the establishment of a tool kit for protection to police, which will safeguard sport ethics and integrity.
The numbers behind the bill
In support of the law is the Illinois professional sports team, which also creates the online betting platform. A proposal in the bill will see the sports team earn an incredible $25 for every $100 wagered by the betting enthusiasts.
During the fiscal year that begins in the summer, the State’s leadership has featured a projected $212 million from sport betting licenses. One measure in the proposal will see two different classes of licenses. One of the licenses will feature 13 for casinos and racetracks, and the other will have an unlimited number of online licenses topping at a staggering $10 million each.
Divergent opinion
Several quarters of the Illinois population are against the new gambling bill that is being fronted by the legislators. Anita Bedel, the Executive Director of the Illinois Church Action and Addiction Problems, was worried about the impact of gambling on society. She said an increase in access to gambling would come with criminal justice, social, and regulation costs. Bedel noted that for every dollar the state gains, it will cost the State $7 to manage problems related to gambling.
The worry of gambling addiction should also be of concern to those proposing the bill, said Anita Bedel. Of interest is the opportunity presented by online gambling, easy access, especially to the young people, who might end up hooked to the vice.
It will be interesting to see the measures that the lawmakers will put in place to respond to the issues raised by those opposing the sports gambling bill. The goal should be to ensure a safe gambling environment for everyone free of crime and other gambling-related problems.
The legislators will collect and digest all the expanded gambling opinions from the various stakeholders and the public. The bill will then later be put to the vote by the House of Representatives.
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