The New Game in Town ?

Interior View of Race And Sports Book In Caesars Palace

 

 

When the first words came across the Internet about sports gambling being legalized, they were sweet sounds to my ears. – Then came the first shots of “would it be enough and who would handle the wagering.” – After the smoke cleared we received a new blast of ensuring the games would not be monitored enough to ensure integrity and safety for bettors. – Ok, we all get the message. There has been betting since the Roman soldiers were rolling dice, and I doubt the gaming was monitored. – The only thing I walked away with was how we could get anything done without over-regulating the idea to the point of sending it back to the table for more discussion. – But with all the red-tape and complaining. I have a few ideas that may simplify the process.

1. – The only places that could accept a sports betting wager would be legal race tracks, casinos, and racinos. No bowling alleys or 7-11 stores. Keep the gambling wagers where wagering has been licensed and regulated for quite some time. – This would move the process along. – If the lottery was going to be a major player, then they would be added as well. – Keep the new form of gambling to places that accept and handle gambling. There’s no need to have it at your local donut shop. If you notice the places that would have the new betting have age limits for making a wager, enough cash on hand to handle the wagers and have been reporting to the powers-that-be for quite some time. – Simple and easy to get it off the ground.

2. – Sports gaming would offer a new interactive venue for entertainment. – This would create jobs, taxes and take something from the back rooms and bring it to the light of day. – No more “old man” meeting you in bar squaring up from the previous week. – Keep the jobs and taxes growing, and we’ll create jobs and lessen the burden on the people. The number of illegal bets I keep reading about is $150 billion. This would go quite a way in helping growth.

3 – Create a commission that would regulate sports betting just the lottery, racing and casinos. – If there are infractions to the set rules they would be met with heavy fines and possible suspensions. – I promise they’d want to keep everything above table and be open to an audit.

4. – Would you rather have a bookie in the back room or a Vegas-style bad-ass bar where you could make a wager and enjoy a cocktail while rooting for your team in the big game. – A super sports bar, great food, wagering and watching your favorite team all under one roof. Las Vegas is 1,000 miles away from your house. – I would imagine Nevada isn’t too happy, but they’ve been the only game in town for too long.

5. – Racing could receive more patrons coming in the doors on a daily basis. – If there were 2,000 guests who came in and out on a college football Saturday and 10% of the new traffic made a few horse bets. That’s 200 new players we have the opportunity to market and serve. Maybe even some form of subsidy could help the horse racing purses grow to keep the game alive. -Casinos would have the BIG game to drop in and make a wager. – I haven’t heard of a problem yet.

Sports betting has scared players and folks who oppose expansion. They fear the games would be tainted by wagers. But what would be different? – We already have corner bookies operating illegally, and this would bring the betting into the open. – I think sports betting could actually keep a “big brother” type commision watching over the games and those involved. Nothing has changed except for fear and worry that something could go wrong, and it’s OK to have local bookies holding court with no regulation. – I make some sports wagers and I would gladly wager with a state and federal watched venture than betting in the back room of a pool hall.