Since the repeal of the Professional and Sports Betting Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in May 2018, the landscape of sports betting in the United States has been undergoing a significant transformation. This federal law change has allowed individual states to legalize sports wagering, sports betting resulting in a surge of new markets across the nation. The evolution of sports betting has given rise to multi-state operations, providing consumers with broader options and contributing to the country's economy.
The Pre-PASPA Era The PASPA, enacted in 1992, aimed to outlaw sports betting nationwide, with the exception of a few states that had established betting practices, like Nevada. The law effectively prohibited most forms of sports betting in the United States, hindering the growth of the industry for more than two decades. However, in 2018, the Supreme Court ruled the PASPA unconstitutional, arguing that it violated the Tenth Amendment.
This decision paved the way for states to decide whether to legalize sports betting independently. The Post-PASPA Landscape With the fall of PASPA, Sports Betting states gained the autonomy to decide on the legalization and regulation of sports betting.