May 14, 2018

Las Vegas, NV – Today the United States Supreme Court ruled on Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association striking down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). PASPA is the federal law prohibiting states from authorizing sports betting with few exceptions. Representative Dina Titus of Nevada’s First Congressional District released the following statement on today’s ruling:  

“Today the Supreme Court has affirmed states’ rights when it comes to sports betting and opened the door for regulated sports betting in states across the country,” said Representative Titus. “A regulated market is always better than an unregulated one. As the representative for Las Vegas I have seen the success of the booming, regulated sports betting market in Nevada. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act has spawned a $150 billion annual illegal sports betting market that lacks consumer protections, is ripe for manipulation, fuels other illicit activities, and jeopardizes the integrity of sports leagues. In the coming weeks, I will be working with key stakeholders and industry experts to help educate my colleagues on what this means for their states and what they can learn from the gold standard set in Nevada. Allowing states and tribal sovereign governments to legalize sports betting could boost local economies, increase state revenues, and better protect both consumers and the industry, with Nevada showing the way. Las Vegas will still be the premier destination for sports betting, and Nevada can export its expertise. The Supreme Court today also sends a clear message to the Department of Justice that can be applied to other states’ rights issues like marijuana.”