{"id":4020,"date":"2018-04-04T16:28:52","date_gmt":"2018-04-04T16:28:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pokerscout.com\/?p=4020"},"modified":"2018-04-04T17:23:29","modified_gmt":"2018-04-04T17:23:29","slug":"is-the-nfl-really-coming-around-on-sports-betting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pokerscout.com\/is-the-nfl-really-coming-around-on-sports-betting\/","title":{"rendered":"Is The NFL Really Coming Around On Sports Betting?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Supreme Court<\/strong> cases inherently have the potential to bring about seismic change<\/strong> in whatever area of society or business they pertain to. However, those shifts typically come after <\/em><\/strong>the SCOTUS reaches a decision.<\/p>\n

In the case of Murphy vs. NCAA<\/strong><\/em>, the fact they even decided to take up the case \u2013 and the manner in which oral arguments seemed to play out in New Jersey\u2019s<\/strong> favor back in December<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 has already moved a previously stagnant needle a substantial amount.<\/p>\n

Murphy vs. NCAA has people talking<\/span><\/h2>\n

The most overarching influence of\u00a0Murphy vs. NCAA<\/em> thus far is the change in the conversation around sports betting<\/strong>. Essentially, all of the major sports leagues are now openly \u2014 if somewhat begrudgingly \u2014 acknowledging that generational change with respect to legalized wagering.<\/p>\n

Admittedly, the NBA<\/strong> was a proverbial pioneer among the major sports leagues. The organization had an open-minded, even supportive position on the push for legalized sports betting. NBA commissioner Adam Silver\u2019s<\/strong> pro-sports betting legalization\u00a0New York Times<\/strong> op-ed piece<\/a>\u00a0in November 2014 was an unprecedented<\/strong> public stance by someone in his position.<\/p>\n

However, MLB<\/strong>, the NHL<\/strong>, and particularly, the NFL<\/strong>, are much more reticent to support legalized sports wagering. In fact, they\u2019ve often been dead set against it<\/strong>. There have been notable shifts in that approach since buzz began to build about a possible full repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act<\/strong><\/a> (PASPA).<\/p>\n

Some of this change in attitude hasn\u2019t exactly come with a conciliatory approach, however.<\/p>\n

For example, the NBA and MLB seemingly saw the light on their dwindling chances of prevailing in Murphy vs. NCAA<\/em> in January. The groups acknowledged the increased likelihood that exponentially large sums of money would soon be wagered on their games. Realizing they were not getting a cut, they began lobbying for a controversial\u00a0integrity fee<\/a> <\/strong>in many states.<\/p>\n

NFL giant awakens from a sports betting slumber<\/span><\/h2>\n

Integrity fees remains an ongoing point of contention that is sure to take months, if not years, to settle. Meanwhile, in recent days, the NFL finally re-entered the sports betting conversation<\/strong>. And for a change, commissioner Roger Goodell\u2019s<\/strong> comments don\u2019t<\/strong> include a proclamation that the league is \u201cvery much opposed to gambling on sports<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead, Goodell took the podium at the NFL owners\u2019 meetings last week and acknowledged that he and the owners\u00a0engaged in conversation<\/a><\/strong> to ensure \u201cthat people understood how the prospects and potential for gambling can change\u201d moving forward, depending on the SCOTUS decision.<\/p>\n

Goodell also went on to say that this type of discussion didn\u2019t<\/strong> constitute \u201cnew work\u201d for the league office or owners. And, that they\u2019d been focused on the topic for \u201cseveral years.\u201d Yet this type of chatter from the NFL is unprecedented<\/strong> to the ears of the general public.<\/p>\n

No hint of integrity fee \u2014 yet<\/span><\/h2>\n

Goodell uttered the word \u201cintegrity\u201d on several occasions during his press conference. But, it was in the context of how the legitimacy of its contests must continue to be of utmost priority<\/strong> in the future legalized sports betting environment. Tellingly, the dreaded \u201cfee\u201d never followed it.<\/p>\n

In other words, the NFL, at least for the moment, has given no overt indication<\/strong> it plans to lobby in favor of an integrity fee.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s agree to put a pin in that one, though. After all, an anonymous NFL owner was recently quoted in a\u00a0Wall Street Journal<\/a><\/strong> piece with the rhetorical (and foreboding) statement:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would we let other people have all the benefit of something we\u2019re creating?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

NFL has long benefitted from sports betting<\/span><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s difficult to say whether the NFL will eventually obtain a wagering royalty. Yet they\u2019ve been indirectly profiting<\/strong> from real-money gaming on their product for decades.<\/p>\n

Examples from just the past several months include:<\/p>\n