What’s the future of sports betting?
Gazing into the crystal ball to see what's in the near-future for sports betting.
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The notion of hurrying to get to the betting window before kickoff has been erased, thanks to in-game betting.
Bets can now be placed at any time during a game, but there are two hang-ups.
One, unless the bettor is working on a mobile device or kiosk, it can be frustrating placing in-game wagers with a human teller. The lines change so quickly, often before the teller can physically put the bets in. The player gets annoyed. The teller becomes apologetic. The people in line get antsy.
Another problem with in-game bets is the danger it presents to gambling addicts. A day is coming when people can bet on whether Bryce Harper swings at the next pitch. That’s scary.
In addition to the continued rise in the popularity of in-game betting, here are a couple other things to watch for in the near future of sports betting:
Pennsylvania will add mobile betting, possibly by the end of the month. The Keystone State is not about to miss another football season or March Madness of online wagering. In March, New Jersey took in $298.2 million in online sports bets and $74.1 million in retail sports wagers, according to PlayNJ.com.
However, the Department of Justice’s reinterpretation of the federal Wire Act could end online betting and basically throw the entire sports betting market into disarray. Tired of winning yet?
Bally’s and the Borgata will open new sportsbooks this summer in Atlantic City. Parx in Bensalem is doing the same.
Leagues, particularly the NBA and Major League Baseball, will continue their fight to get a financial piece of the sports betting explosion. In industry parlance, it’s called an “integrity fee,” and the bookies staunchly oppose it.