- Democratic Rep. Johnny Shaw is expressing concern with legal sports betting in the state.
- The University of Tennessee shows a negative reaction to sports betting.
- Democratic Rep. Rick Staples said 85% of the revenue from the sports betting bill will go to the lottery fund and 15% to local governments.
Sports gambling has been met with joy and excitement in several states throughout the U.S. For Tennessee, sports gambling is having mixed reactions. Lawmakers in the state from both parties are having difficulty deciding on how to write a sports betting bill in Tennessee. This difficulty comes from differing opinions on the subject, causing indecision in the legislature.
Among these opinions is Democratic Representative Johnny Shaw, who expressed concerns about legal online sports betting in the state. Home to the notable University of Tennessee, the school is packed with high-level athletes who could be susceptible to sports gambling.
“I think we’re moving down the wrong path when we start legalizing gambling online,” said Shaw to other legislatures.
The State of Tennessee previously shot for full-on land-based sports gambling in the state but after talks, the plan has transitioned to only online gambling with the state having no brick and mortar sportsbooks. While no land-based sportsbooks could prevent some gambling traffic, online is more prevalent and for college students in this day and age mobile wagering is more accessible than ever.
Tennessee University Director of Policy Analysis Josh Warren is another individual that expressed his concerns about bringing legal sports gambling into the state. More specifically, concern over student athletes.
“These are college students as well,” said Warren to the House Committee at a bill review session on Tuesday. “So, we just want to be very mindful of the surroundings of a college campus.”
Another politician who disliked bringing sports betting to the state currently is Republican Governor Bill Lee. Lee expressed moral issues with sports gambling. With gambling addiction being a serious problem for many bettors around the country, many politicians have concerns over sports gambling’s possible impact on the state.
One of the sports betting bills proposed by Democratic Rep. Rick Staples included language that would legalize sports gambling for people 21 or older and would only include mobile and interactive wagers. No land-based sports book would be available for betting, according to the proposed bill. Also, 85% of the bill’s revenue would go to the lottery fund and 15% percent would go to local governments.
The State of Tennessee, for the time being, looks like it’s got its hands full with deciding how to go about sports gambling for the area. Various lawmakers and politicians have diverse opinions on the subject of sports gambling. They will have to meet on middle ground in order for sports betting in Tennessee to be made legal. Hopefully, with further talks and additional input to deal with how the bill affects residents, a decision can be made for the well-being of the state and its people.