It is no secret that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has always supported the idea of sports betting legislation at federal level. The association firmly believes that there is no reason why the federal government cannot regulate the industry, even though the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in May 2018.
Now, the NCAA has renewed its efforts to push for federal legislation through collaboration with Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Senator Chuck Schumer (D-New York). Both lawmakers have committed to helping the association with its efforts.
There have been calls from all over the US for the federal government to at least create some kind of framework for the industry, even if individual states are creating their own setups, following the Supreme Court ruling last year.
The senators want to build on that sentiment and introduce legislation largely similar to Schumer’s former attempt, the Sports Wagering Market Integrity Act which he tied to submit with the now-retired Senator Orrin Hatch. While that legislation failed to make tracks in the legal channels, it had some points that Schumer and Romney want to build on.
The first is a demand for states to meet a minimum set of standards. Also, licensed sports books will be required to use official league data. The senators also want to see the creation of a National Sports Wagering Clearinghouse which would share suspicious wagering activity with all stakes involved (regulators, sports leagues and betting operators).
Speaking to ESPN, the vice president of hearing operations for the NCAA, Naima Stevenson Starks said: “We are absolutely supportive of federal regulation. It’s fairly daunting to think that every state would have a different set of regulations. Having some minimum standards, we are very supportive of, and have been an active proponent of.”
