On Monday the Supreme Court ruled in favor of states that wish to legalize sports betting, saying state’s rights trump the federal prohibition on sports books.
Now, Sen. Orrin Hatch plans to introduce new legislation to regulate the new landscape.
The Hill reports Hatch was one of the original authors of the federal law prohibiting sports betting in 1992. Now he wants to make sure there are standards to uphold the “integrity” of sports.
“But the rapid rise of the Internet means that sports betting across state lines is now just a click away. We cannot allow this practice to proliferate amid uneven enforcement and a patchwork race to the regulatory bottom,” Hatch said.
“I invite stakeholders and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in addressing this important issue,” Hatch said.
In the high court’s majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito left the door open to further legislation on the issue.
“Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects not to do so, each State is free to act on its own. Our job is to interpret the law Congress has enacted and decide whether it is consistent with the Constitution. PASPA is not,” he said.
Professional sports leagues argued the ban on sports betting helped to maintain the integrity of their games.
