US Supreme Court confirms PASPA review date

US Supreme Court has revealed that it will hear the appeal of New Jersey officials against the validity of the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) on 4 December.

As part of this process, Supreme Court justices will review an August 2016 ruling by the Philadelphia-based 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals that an earlier 2014 New Jersey statute permitting sports betting at casinos and racetracks effectively violated PASPA.

PASPA currently prohibits such gambling in all states except Nevada, Delaware, Montana and Oregon but New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and the Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association have contested the validity of the act, claiming it to be ‘unconstitutional’.

Twenty states across the US have filed amicus briefs in support of the New Jersey appeal, calling for an end to the ban on sports betting. Other organisations such as the National Indian Gaming Association, National Collegiate Athletic Association, the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, Major League Baseball and the National Conference of State Legislatures have also voiced their support.

In a statement, American Gaming Association Director of Media Relations Steve Doty said: “The American Gaming Association looks forward to the Supreme Court hearing New Jersey’s appeal of PASPA later this year. This law continues to fail and is driving a $150 billion illegal sports betting market. AGA remains confident sports fans will have a legalised, regulated sports market to safely wager in within the coming years. We look forward to the court’s decision.”

Former Deputy Director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, George Rover commented: "The scheduling of oral argument for December 4th to hear the legal challenge to PASPA is good news for the State of New Jersey and its other supporters. While the listing of the matter for argument does not provide any clue or insight on how the Supreme Court may ultimately rule, the fact that the matter is being argued earlier in the Court’s term makes it more likely that a final decision could be issued before the Court recesses in June 2018."

A recently commissioned survey commissioned by the Washington Post newspaper and the University of Massachusetts Lowell recently revealed that almost 55% of Americans are in favour of legalised sports betting.

However, the states still have to convince five out of the nine Supreme Court justices that the appeal is valid and that PASPA should ultimately be replaced by a law which is more reflective of current opinions.