Gambling in America - Sports Gambling

The only states where legal betting on sports took place as of 2004 were Nevada and Oregon. In Nevada in 2003 there were 142 legal sports books that permitted wagering on professional and amateur sports. Bettors had to be over twenty-one years of age and physically present to wager. It was also possible to bet on sports via the Oregon lottery, which offered a game called "Sports Action" in which players could win money based on the number of correct winners they picked from a weekend's National Football League games.

Championship games, such as the Super Bowl or the World Series, were some of the most popular sporting events on which people bet, though one-third of bets were placed on college sporting events. Nevada did not allow betting on high school or Olympic events.

In addition to this legalized sports gambling, an unknown number of people participated in illegal gambling in 2004, such as office pools. Estimates of illegal sport betting have ranged from $80 billion to $380 billion annually. Furthermore, some Americans crossed the Mexican border to gamble or traveled to the Caribbean or Central America, where sports gambling was legal.

Does Gambling Threaten College Athletics?

Wagering on college sports is a hotly contested issue. A poll conducted by the Gallup Organization in March 2002 found that Americans were divided about whether gambling on college athletics should be made illegal throughout the country. Nearly half the surveyed respondents (49%) thought betting on college sports should be illegal and 47% felt it should be allowed.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has been staunchly opposed to sports wagering because the organization contends that it attracts organized crime and has the potential to undermine the integrity of college sports contests. In its position paper, the NCAA stated that "sports wagering demeans the competition and competitors alike by a message that is contrary to the purposes and meaning of sport. Sports competition should be appreciated for the inherent benefits related to participation of student-athletes, coaches and institutions in fair contests, not the amount of money wagered on the outcome of the competition."