The rise of mobile sports betting in the USA
The last decade was brutal for sports betting fans, with the friendly online gambling environment changing radically after the events of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act. The sweeping changes brought by this piece of legislation still reverberate today, but small steps are being made in the right direction. Americans have some of the biggest and most popular sports leagues in the world and they love betting on NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB teams. It seems that they might finally get a real shot at betting on their favorite sports legally, at least in some of the forward-thinking states.
Lawmakers open up to online betting
Progress has been made nationwide in recent years but certain states lead the race to legalize sports betting. It will take a long time and there’s a good chance that online gambling will never be legalized on a federal level. That’s because there are some states who still oppose this strongly and they have the support of their residents to back up such an action. The good news is that the vast majority of states and their lawmakers open up to gambling and try to find the best way to regulate this lucrative market.
The East and West coasts are leading the charge and these are places where you can already play casino games or bet on sports legally. There are still many restrictions in place, but residents of New Jersey, Delaware and Nevada are already enjoying the thrills of legal betting. Bigger states are taking similar actions, with Pennsylvania and California contemplating the possibility of legalizing this form of entertainment. For punters, this is excellent news, as they can hope to play at a bookie that is authorized by the states to provide sports betting services instead of taking a chance with offshore bookmakers.
One of the main reasons why lawmakers seriously consider the possibility of legalizing sports betting in many states is to bring more money to state coffers. As it is, a lot of money is being bled beyond borders, by players who choose to take a leap of faith with bookmakers and casinos located elsewhere. Offshore operators are willing to circumvent US laws, in order to take advantage of the lucrative American market. In the states where legal bookmakers exist, residents have no incentive to take chances with foreigners.
Esports betting gains traction in the US
A significant percentage of new players who choose mobile sports betting is made of young people, who are enthusiastic about electronic sports. They enjoy watching real-time strategy games, first-person shooters and multiplayer online battle arena games on their handheld devices. They have been doing so for years and now they are ready to put their newfound knowledge to the test. Online bookmakers provide them with the opportunity to bet on videogame competitions, both domestic and international.
In 2019, there were several exceptions made to allow Americans to bet on the LCS, as well as other League of legends Tournaments. This is one of the most popular videogames and there are plenty of strong American teams competing in international competitions.