The Effort to Modernize the Mobile Gaming Industry

By Jeff Ifrah – Whether it’s a bet made in an office pool on the Super Bowl or a wager placed on a March Madness bracket, Americans continue to bet on their favorite teams, but many states don’t have laws in place to regulate the activities.  The May 2018 Supreme Court ruling that overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) made it possible for states to make their own laws on sports betting and online gaming.  Now, states across the country are working to legalize the industry to establish regulated online gaming platforms and put in place consumer protection measures for participants.

Since the Supreme Court ruling, eight states have begun offering legal sports betting and dozens of other states are working to pass legislation to legalize sports betting for their residents.  Here in D.C., sports betting will be available through the D.C. lottery for residents as early as this fall.

Legalizing sports betting and online gaming brings the industry out of the shadows and provides revenue, jobs, and a boost to state economies.  It also puts in place important consumer protections and regulations that enables residents to participate in a favorite American pastime through a safe environment as a mobile environment offers real-time monitoring and tracking tools to identify illegal or illicit behavior.

iDEA Growth has been educating lawmakers in state capitols across the country on how to replicate the outcomes and successes of states by offering both sports betting and online gaming.  Online and mobile provisions are opportunities for states to maximize revenue.  Mobile is the way of the future for the industry.  People expect convenience and the ability to do everything from their phone – whether it’s ordering dinner, a car or placing a bet.

Modernizing the industry and allowing Americans to participate in their favorite games through their mobile device should be a must. It’s an important opportunity that states should not miss.

Jeff Ifrah is the founder of iDEA Growth, an association seeking to grow jobs and expand online interactive entertainment business in the United States through advocacy and education. Jeff is considered one of the world’s foremost attorneys in Online Gaming Law.

View the February 2019 edition of the Inside Story newsletter.