The Business of US Sports: How Legal Betting Has Changed the Game

Sport has been a multi-billion-dollar industry in the US for decades. From sponsorship deals and corporate partnerships to ticket sales and TV revenue, sports leagues, franchises, and athletes are all part of a hugely lucrative industry.

In fact, this is only scratching the surface. When you take into account the businesses that operate around sports, the tapestry becomes all the richer. For example, POD Active is aiming to capitalize on the market and revolutionize the way athletes protect their joints.

What’s interesting about this company is that its founder, Geoffrey Maloney, has a background in composite and polymers. He’s not from a professional sports background, Like all savvy entrepreneurs, he’s spotted a gap in the market and found a way to fill it with his skills. That’s a testament to his foresight, but also the allure of the sports industry. He recognized the value of the market and he seized an opportunity. That’s a reflection of how lucrative the industry is.

The Business of Betting and Sport

Another example of the industry’s business potential is evolving before our eyes. The business of sports betting is becoming a reality in more and more US states. Prior to 2018, only Nevada was able to offer a full selection of sports bets to consumers. Oregon, Delaware, and Montana were also allowed to offer sports pools but not traditional betting options.

Other than these exemptions, sports betting was illegal in every other US state due to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA). However, following a lengthy legal challenge from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, PASPA was overturned in 2018.

Although Christie had been replaced by Phil Murphy by the time the Supreme Court ruled that PASPA contravened the Tenth Amendment, it was his efforts that led to it being struck down. With States’ Rights now allowed to take precedence over the federal law, states across the US were given the right to implement their own sports betting laws. New Jersey was one of the first states to regulate the industry and many more have followed. As of April 2021, the following states had legalized sports betting in all of its forms:

Of those US states that haven’t joined the revolution, many have either passed laws but not implemented them or they’re discussing how best to proceed. This rapid growth has seen revenue soar.

According to the American Gaming Association, the total amount of money legally wagered on sports every month is now more than $3 billion. That figure is only going to increase as more states legalize and implement their own sports betting laws.