NFL Goodell Makes Statement on Legalized Sports Betting

Now that the federal government has decided that states can be allowed to legalize and regulate sports betting, the leagues have to try to capitalize as well. One way they have approached this task is asking for a 1% “integrity fee” from potential sportsbooks. Their lack of understanding of the tight margins involved in the competitive sports wagering business allowed them to ask for this.

Now that the 1% is not looking like a realistic outcome, leagues will go after the soon-to-be flourishing business by way of intellectual and copyright law (although NY will be offering leagues 0.25% of the betting). They will be asking sportsbooks pay a licensing fee to use the team names in their sports betting businesses. I am no lawyer but can’t sportsbooks just use the city name? I guess for college games that would be hard to do.

Anyway, Roger Goodell released a statement asking the federal government to oversee the activity of the states to ensure the game itself is not compromised. The bottom line is there is a lot of red tape to be worked through. Regulation is essential for this to be a success story. As unlikable as Roger Goodell is, he is right in asking for checks and balances and punishment for ne’er-do-wells.