The moves have not come without serious detractors, though, who have raised concerns the rapid spread of legalized gambling could lead to addiction problems, especially among financially vulnerable people, while legalized sports betting increases the risk of match-fixing. The decision set off a wave of legalization efforts, allowing for legal sports betting in 33 states and the District of Columbia in time for Sunday’s Super Bowl.
The most monumental change in recent years came in May 2018, when the Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision struck down a 1992 law that largely restricted sports betting to Las Vegas. has trended toward vastly expanding legal gambling options over the past several years, with many state political leaders arguing a gambling prohibition only served to funnel tax revenue into illegal operations.
Some 100 million sports betting transactions were made this weekend alone, according to a CNBC analysis.
The announcement came after an estimated $16 billion was bet on Super Bowl LVII-a sports betting record for a single event.
