LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Super Bowl sports betting means big business.
According to numbers released by the American Gaming Association this week, nearly 68 million Americans plan to bet on this year’s Super Bowl. That’s projected to be about 35% higher than last year. The AGA said most of those bets are expected to be placed online.
So how much money are we talking? An estimated $23.1 billion.
“As the Super Bowl comes to Las Vegas for the first time, this year’s record interest in wagering marks a full-circle moment for the U.S. gaming industry,” AGA President and CEO Bill Miller said. “Our priority remains getting this opportunity right by providing the consumer protections only a regulated market can guarantee and investing in responsible gaming tools, safeguards and education.”
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Just don’t expect to see any National Football League players, staff, or executives betting on The Big Game. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to all 32 teams last week to reinforce the league’s gambling policies.
The memo said any kind of betting on the Super Bowl is prohibited, including “squares, pools or similar contests”. Walking through a sportsbook is allowed only if it’s to get to an adjacent space that isn’t off-limits, and no inside information should be shared.
There are a few exceptions when it comes to gambling. “Non-player personnel” for any team can participate in casino gambling, like blackjack and slot machines, as long as it is during off-hours.
Players can take part in casino games, as long as they don’t play for the Kansas City Chiefs or the San Francisco 49ers.
On Monday, Goodell estimated the league has disciplined 13 players and 25 league and team personnel staffers for gambling violations this season.
According to current league policies, players can receive a year-long suspension for betting on the league or face a two-year suspension for betting on their team. Players who bet on non-NFL sports while they’re at a team facility or on team-related travel receive a two-game suspension without pay, if they’re a first-time offender.
“It’s our No. 1 objective: Gambling. Outside of gambling, the integrity of our game is critical,” Goodell said on Monday. “We spend a lot of time focusing on that: educating, making sure that all of our personnel are aware of our gambling policies in this case or any other policy that can affect the integrity of our game. Ultimately, the decision was a decision by the Supreme Court. They legalized sports betting. We have to adapt. We have to embrace it. We have been cautious. We have been very thoughtful, I think, in our approach.”
Rep. Dina Titus, a member of the bipartisan Congressional Gaming Caucus, has previously sent letters to the major U.S. sports leagues saying they need to be more clear about what is and isn’t allowed when it comes to sports better.
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Titus applauded Goodell for being more transparent about the league’s betting policies.
As the @NFL comes to Las Vegas for #SuperBowlLVIII, I'm glad to see the Commissioner be more transparent about sports betting violations and efforts to protect the integrity of the game.
— Dina Titus (@repdinatitus) February 6, 2024
When violators are caught and punished, it means that the legal system works. https://t.co/8i3Frsxp1E
Meantime, on Capitol Hill, Titus and Rep. Guy Reschenthaler introduced legislation to repeal the federal handle tax, a tax that is 0.0025% for every sports wager. It was created in the 1950s to track illegal gambling activities.
Titus has previous said that tax cost Nevada $22 million in 2022.
As of Thursday, nothing has happened with that bill.
However, last month, another bill was introduced, by Rep. Andrea Salinas and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, that would keep the tax in place and use half the money to fund gambling treatment and research. It’s now heading to House and Senate committees to be discussed.
