Senator John McCain is calling for expanded gambling privileges, especially within the realm of US based sports betting. Because he hails from Arizona, this can be seen as a competitive move against Nevada’s thriving gambling industry; currently, McCain’s neighboring state is one of only 2 American locales that legally facilitate betting on sports matches. His initial calls for a new legal system of sports betting came right before Super Bowl XLIX. McCain is known to be entrenched with a variety of gambling industry lobbyists, so he would stand to benefit from legislation as well.
Gambling on sports games is one of the most popular activities in the United States, but US based sports betting it is illegal in almost every jurisdiction. There is no reason to criminalize such a widespread pastime, especially if gambling is already allowed in 48 states. New Jersey has recently moved forward with legalizing state based sports betting options, but nobody really knows if it will be able to stick due to heavy opposition from professional and collegiate sports leagues and other heavy hitters such as billionaire Sheldon Adelson.
Under McCain’s proposed plan, casinos would receive control of all legal sports betting services. Gambling on athletic events would be relegated to the same businesses that provide slot machines and table card games.
McCain is also expressly against expanding sports gambling business privileges to the Internet. Supporters of this approach argue their point from multiple standpoints. Primarily, online venues can be a major threat to the casinos that this maverick supports if not structured properly. Politically, there are legally licensed and regulated online betting sites operating around the world, but they are federally outlawed from being based in the U.S., though they can legally offer their USA online sports betting services to USA residents. Ultimately, it would take a lot more than a little legislation to open the doors to US based sports gambling on the web. In fact, the Federal Wire Act expressly prohibits this type of gambling entertainment.
If McCain’s proposal passes, it will herald a new era of open bet making. People will no longer have to conceal conversations with their bookmaker and will have an expanded range of options that is not limited solely to licensed offshore sportsbooks. By keeping betting in the public eye, we can ensure a higher standard of fairness and accountability.
Another beneficiary of this potential plan will be Native Americans. Tribal authorities operate many casinos in the country, and it is one of their biggest sources of revenue. With the current ban in place, America’s aboriginals are being deprived of substantial income. This simple act could indirectly improve reservation conditions around the nation.
Most Indian-owned casinos make money from individual gamblers. There are rarely any incidents that bring massive droves of customers. This would all change if casinos were allowed to coordinate events with major sports leagues. They are missing out on a lot of potential cash flow from NFL play-offs, NCAA March Madness, the NBA championships, the MLB World Series and NHL finals. All of these games are accruing bets that fund an illegal market instead of Native Americans. This is a miscarriage of the law that needs to be undone. If only there were more mavericks like John McCain, then this inane perversion of justice would be over.
McCain may be making his decisions based on personal economics, but he is on the side fighting against a moral injustice. This kind of gambling entertainment should not be a punishable offense. Betting on sports through a licensed and regulated gambling destination has no bearing whatsoever on the integrity of any sports event.
Illegal bookies would also run out of business. This would cut off an entire class of petty criminals. They would have to turn towards legitimate means of making money, and their earnings would finally be taxable. Furthermore, the legal sports bets can also be taxed. This creates a scenario that generates two unique streams of internal revenue for the government.
The United States is one of the only nations on the planet that is denied basic gambling rights. McCain is showing that the government does not need to baby its citizens anymore. Responsible adults should be able to make their own financial decisions just like they are able to in every other civilized country. This is the future that is envisioned by Arizona’s senior senator. Let us all hope the incumbent Republican is victorious in legalizing sports gambling.
Source: www.reviewjournal.com