GREENSBORO, N.C. — The American Gaming Association projects a record-setting year for Super Bowl bets.
More than 31.5 million Americans are expected to gamble on the big game. They'll have more than $7.5 billion on the line.
States were allowed to legalize sports betting after the 2018 Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association Supreme Court decision. The justices ruled 6-3 in favor of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D).
The decision overturned the 1992 Bradley Act, which prohibited most states from authorizing sports gambling. The court ruled the law violated the 10th Amendment's anti-commandeering clause. It says the federal government cannot make laws about things the Constitution doesn't explicitly give it the right to, like gambling.
30 states have legalized sports betting since the decision. 19 others have allowed for online sports gambling.
"Legalized sports betting was the last piece of the puzzle for sports fans," Doug Terfehr, Vice President of Marketing for MaximBet, said. "We like to go to games. We like to cheer for our teams, even gather at home and have people over. There's all sorts of entertainment around sports."
North Carolina allows sports betting at two tribal casinos but not online.
The NC Senate passed Senate Bill 688 in with bipartisan support in August. It would allow for online sports gambling. The bill has been stuck in a house committee since November.
Sen. Paul Lowe (D-Forsyth) was one of the bill's sponsors. He said he wanted to find a new way to raise money for the state.
"When we look at our schools, other things, bridges and roads, etc., we need more revenue," Lowe said. "We all want more revenue, and we want it without our taxes going up."
A fiscal report on the bill found that after the 2021-22 fiscal year, the sports betting could generate between $8-24 million for the state.
Sen. Amy Galey (R-Alamance, Guilford) voted against the bill. Among other concerns, she said it doesn't generate enough money.
"I understand that in Virginia the companies doing this had $3 billion in revenue," Galey said. "Under the North Carolina bill, it'd only be $20 million, which is really not a lot to move the needle on policy."
Galey also worries legalizing sports betting could make it more likely for people to get addicted to gambling because people could wager from their phones anywhere they go.
"You hear the argument, 'Alcohol used to illegal. Now it's legal. Yeah, there are people who have problems with alcohol, but now it's a huge industry.,'" Galey said. "I think if anyone was carrying mini bottles around in their pocket so that they could drink alcohol anytime they wanted to, we'd say that person has a problem."
Lowe said he understands the concern. He thinks legalizing sports betting will actually help the state get ahead of the issue.
"It's not like it's not already here," Lowe said. "Whether we want it to be or not, it's here. The Pandora's box is already open. What some of us are saying is 'Let's make it safe for our citizens.'"
Lowe said you can't regulate something that's not legal.
The National Center for Responsible Gambling found 1% of adults have a serious gambling problem. It said 6-9% of young adults experience betting-related issues.
A study published the U.S. Library of Medicine looked into healthy gambling habits. The researchers studied 51 different practices and made a list of some of the best ways to bet responsibly.
The list includes:
- Don't gamble when sad or depressed.
- Don't bet using cash advances or credit cards.
- Don't use gambling to supplement your income.
- Stop gambling if you aren't having fun.
Terfehr said MaximBet constantly looks for new ways to encourage responsible behavior. He encourages all new players to do their research before jumping into gambling.
Make sure you set limits. Have a budget. Understand what you can and can't do," Terfehr said. "A lot of sportsbooks like MaximBet, we have cool off periods for bettors who maybe hit a dry spell."
If you or someone you use know is struggling with a gambling addiction, call the NC Problem Gambling Hotline at 1-877-718-5543.
We want to hear your thoughts. Let us know where you stand on our Facebook page.