105 Iowa L. Rev. 2273 (2020)

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Abstract

The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (“PASPA”), which outlawed state-sponsored sports betting in the United States, was recently struck down as a violation of the anticommandeering principle in a 6–3 ruling by the Supreme Court. This has opened the door for states to finally legalize sports betting. This Note argues that in order to craft better legislation surrounding legalized sports betting, states should look to the experiences of different European Union Member States, where sports betting has been legal for quite some time. The European Union has experienced issues with match fixing, gambling advertisements, and their effects on young people. This Note proposes two solutions for legal sports betting—one that would maintain state sovereignty and one that would advocate for federal legislation—that will ensure a smooth transition into the new era of legalized sports betting. This Note concludes by arguing that federal legislation would be the most effective response to the issues presented in this Note.