US Sports Betting Industry Improving Under Trump

Many sports fans are beginning to feel that the US sports betting industry will see a massive shake up once Donald Trump takes office.

The sports gambling situation in the United States has been complicated for years. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 essentially banned all forms of betting on sports outside of a select few states. Donald Trump is set to take office in just a few weeks, and many people feel he will help to improve the US sports betting industry.

Geoff Freeman, president of the American Gaming Association trade group, believes Trump’s business acumen will help to change some of the restrictive laws placed on sports betting. “With regards to sports betting, I think that we are entering a perfect storm,’’ Freeman said.

Trump himself has experience in the gaming industry, having owned a number of casinos over the years. He likely knows the type of impact that legalized sports betting would have on the economy and may attempt to change current laws.

Donald Trump has also given his approval to online daily fantasy sports sites in the US, telling Colin Cowherd in 2015, “I’m OK with it because it’s happening anyway. Whether you have it (PASPA) or you don’t have it, you have it (sports gambling).”

How about online sports gambling in the US?

The legal situation surrounding online gambling in the US is just as restrictive as land-based gambling. The Unlawful Internet Gambling and Enforcement Act of 2006 restricted almost all forms of online gambling, with the notable exception of internet daily fantasy sports.

Daily fantasy sports are considered games of skill, not luck, in many different states in the US. Many of these states fully legalized DFS and earn money through taxes. If Trump makes some changes to the current US sports betting laws, these states could also earn tax money from traditional sports gambling. FanDuel and DraftGoal are two DFS sites in the US you can access today.

Do you think the US sports betting industry will change in 2017? What new laws will Trump propose? Tell us what you think by leaving a comment below, and make sure to check out GamingZion’s list of online sportsbooks in the US to find all the best sports betting sites you can access here.