She said the explosion of legalized sports betting has the potential to create a level of addiction to gambling nationally that will rival the opioid epidemic. Lia Nower, a professor and director of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University, is trying to sound the alarm. Six other states have not yet legalized sports betting but have “active legislation/ballot initiative” on the subject, according to the association. The association noted two other states, Nebraska and Florida have, like Maine, legalized sports betting and plan to make it operational.

Supreme Court that paved the way for legal betting on live sports.Īccording to the American Gaming association, 33 states and the District of Columbia have already made sports betting legal and operational as of Jan. The concept has rapidly become a national issue over the past five years, starting with a landmark 2018 decision by the U.S. Maine is not alone in moving toward legalizing sports betting. The regulatory work is the result of a new law passed in April 2022, which made online sports betting legal, once the regulations are in place.

That includes provisions related to gambling addiction, such as requiring responsible wagering programs for vendors, restrictions on advertising and data collection on gambling addiction. Locally, the state’s Gambling Control Unit is working on a draft of regulations that will govern online sports betting. WIthin months, Maine will be joining more than 40 other states allowing betting on live sports, which is prompting one expert to worry about a potential surge in gambling addiction nationwide.

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