Opposition by major sports leagues over the years was one of the main reasons why it took New Jersey so long to convince the courts that a federal sports betting law is unconstitutional. The NFL was one of those groups that strongly opposed the legalization and regulation of sports betting. However, now that the US Supreme Court ruled to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, groups such as the NFL need to adjust to the new reality.
In response to the Supreme Court ruling last week, the commissioner for the National Football League, Roger Goodell issued a statement earlier this week and his message was simple and to the point: He wants the implementation of “uniform standards for states that choose to legalize sports betting.”
The NFL said in its statement that it wanted four core principles to be included in these standards. He said that these should be as follows:
“1. There must be substantial consumer protections;
2. Sports leagues can protect our content and intellectual property from those who attempt to steal or misuse it;
3. Fans will have access to official, reliable league data; and
4. Law enforcement will have the resources, monitoring and enforcement tools necessary to protect our fans and penalize bad actors here at home and abroad.”
“As it was for my predecessors,” noted Commissioner Goodell, “there is no greater priority for me as the Commissioner of the National Football League than protecting the integrity of our sport. Our fans, our players and our coaches deserve to know that we are doing everything possible to ensure no improper influences affect how the game is played on the field. This week’s ruling by the Supreme Court has no effect on that unwavering commitment.”
Goodell said that the NFL had spent considerable time planning for the potential of legalized sports gambling and was therefore prepared to address these changes in “thoughtful and comprehensive way.” These include substantial education and compliance trainings for NFL clubs, players, employees and partners.
“These efforts,” said Goodell, “include supporting commonsense legislation that protects our players, coaches and fans and maintains public confidence in our games.”
