Betting on college and amateur sports in the US has been hit by controversy among various stakeholders. Now, the topic has reached Washington, and a sports betting bill is being prepared to protect athletic students from becoming the target of exploitation.
According to Donna Lopiano, a former University of Texas athletic administrator, Senator Richard Blumenthal is working with various stakeholders on a bill that would seek to educate the amateur athletes on match-fixing schemes.
Lopiano was speaking at a conference at the Aspen Institute about the future of college sports. He said that there is a need for a federal law that will address betting on high school, college, and amateur sports. He added that legislation should create an independent body that will oversee the issue, which includes education athletes to identify when they are approached for a match fixation.
Currently, Lopiano serves as the president of the Drake Group Board of Directors, an organization that seeks to protect the integrity of college sports from being targeted by multi-billion enterprises.
Discussions Ongoing
Mc Elwain, Blumenthal communication director, confirmed that the senator is working on amateur sports betting. He added that discussions are ongoing on the issue of potential tax revenue raised through betting, and the protection of amateur athletes is on the table.
According to Casino.org, 20 states have regulated sports betting in the US. Each state has its regulations regarding amateur and collegiate sports. In New Jersey, gambling on in-states College or any intercollegiate is prohibited. In Indiana, betting on high school sports is completely banned. Similarly, Oregon has decided to exclude college sports betting when sports betting will be launched in the state.
Giving Way To Unregulated Market
However, critics of the regulation claim that such a move will give way to unregulated betting either domestically or abroad. If that is the case, it will not stop the exploitation of amateur athletes.
