Commentary: The United States Supreme Court has opened the door to legalized sports betting. States now have opportunity to pass legislation to allow these activities within their borders.
This development fits within a well-established pattern of former vices turning into good sources of legal revenue. Looking at history, there was a time when alcohol was considered by many as socially damaging and it was deemed illegal by the government. But a good many others had no interest in giving up their beverages of choice and continued to find it, drink it, and even make it themselves at home. The law was one thing, but people with their conduct voted otherwise. Eventually, the law changed and the practice became legal again and the government had a good revenue source.
There was a time when something called the Numbers Racket flourished. People could go down to the corner and place a bet and hope that certain numbers would be drawn. The government judged this activity illegal. It stayed that way until they realized that allowing folks to risk money like this was another good revenue source. Suddenly, the Numbers Racket gave way to State and National Lotteries.
Same with slot machines and card games. These moved from dark, smokey, hidden rooms behind businesses and out into big mega-sized casinos along major interstates featuring singers and music groups well past their prime.
There was a time when using and possessing a certain green recreational flowering plant was totally illegal. In many places it still is. But again, some state governments are seeing things differently and changing laws to allow public use of this particular greenery. And this also just happens to be a new source of revenue for cash-strapped states. Again, the law said one thing but people voted with their conduct and their wallets for another.
And now, it’s sports. Of course, betting on sports is nothing new. It’s been around since the first caveman bet a rival that he could throw his club farther than the other brute could. Modern sports betting has been around for ages and handling huge sums of money, most of it illegally.
Some folks are now concerned that legal sports betting will compromise the integrity of sports. In baseball, could that compromise the World Series? That’s already been done with the Black Sox throwing Series games a hundred years ago. Today we see athletes using performance-enhancing drugs and pitchers rubbing substances on baseballs.
How about basketball? Point-shaving scandals have been around for decades. It’s easy to affect the point spread by missing a few key free throws deliberately or turning the ball over at just the right time. Referees can determine winners by how and when they call fouls or other violations.
Betting on football both legally and illegally has been the most pervasive of all. This has been a huge business for a very long time. Many people care more about the odds than who wins the game.
The bottom line? Don’t be concerned about integrity of sports. No, not every game is fixed.
There are dedicated athletes who work hard at their craft and always try to win every game. But the argument that allowing sports betting will hurt the integrity of sport is foolish because that ship sailed long ago.
History shows that people decide on their own what they want to do and what they will do and what they will pay money for. In the contrast between Puritan Roots and real life human desires and activities, place your bets on the latter eventually winning out. Sooner or later, government decides to lift the burden of law and make some good bucks from these activities. Bet on that.