Goodell calls on Congress to enact 'uniform standards' for sports betting
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell continued the league's cautious approach to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to end the ban on state-sanctioned sports betting, releasing a statement Monday in which he called on Congress to "enact uniform standards for states that choose to legalize sports betting." He also outlined "four core principles" for potential legislation.
.@nflcommish statement on sports betting and the need for uniform standards pic.twitter.com/mri5KuJFf0
— Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) May 21, 2018
Here are the principles that Goodell, at a minimum, wants Congress to follow:
- There must be substantial consumer protections;
- Sports leagues can protect our content and intellectual property from those who attempt to steal or misuse it;
- Fans will have access to official, reliable league data; and
- Law enforcement will have the resources, monitoring and enforcement tools necessary to protect our fans and penalize bad actors here at home and abroad.”
The NFL's response is similar to that of the rest of the United State's four major sports, which have all emphasized maintaining the integrity of their respective leagues while also highlighting a desire to further explore how federal oversight across state lines can be enforced.
Meanwhile, NBA commissioner Adam Silver has openly supported legalized sports betting.