The start of the new National Football League season (NFL) sparked a flurry of advertising activity by many online gambling operators.
New regulations introduced during 2018 made it legal to bet on sports and 13 states across the country have now signed off on the practice, making offers such as this one here a favorite for the gambling-inclined.
Pennsylvania is one of the states that has jumped on board, but it is fair to say that the region still has some hurdles to overcome in respect of fully embracing the gambling industry as a whole. Read on as we assess the latest state of play below.
New beginnings in the Keystone State
Governor Tom Wolf was eager for Pennsylvania to take advantage of the new legislation, signing a new betting bill months before the Supreme Court made its ruling.
The Hollywood Casino at Penn National racecourse took the first legal sports bets in the state in November 2018 and other sportsbooks have obtained licenses since then.
The new rules have already had a major financial impact, with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) reporting a rise of almost $60 million in revenues for the fiscal year ending June 2019.
That 1.8 percent increase means the gambling industry in Pennsylvania is now worth over $3.3 billion and is expected to continue to rise in the future.
The mini-casino conundrum
While the shifting landscape in the gambling industry has sparked a rise in revenues, there are still some issues to be resolved.
The PGCB generated over $127m from the sale of five mini-casino licenses last year, but none of the venues have opened their doors.
An auction for more licenses at a minimum of $7.5m each failed to secure any bids, leading to the cancellation of further auctions.
Restrictive rules over where the mini-casinos can be located caused the lack of interest and is a situation that state authorities will need to address moving forward.
NFL stance on betting beginning to soften
The NFL has historically had an aversion to the gambling industry, but their stance appears to have softened in recent times.
The organisation signed its first casino sponsorship deal in January 2019 and is a link-up that would have previously been unthinkable.
While NFL commissioner, Roger Goodall, continues to exercise caution with regards to working with the gambling industry, the development could ultimately have a big impact on Pennsylvania’s major sports teams.
With the NFL also lobbying Congress to pass legislation that would protect the game’s integrity, it is clear that they are resigned to legalised betting eventually becoming an integral part of the sport.
