A System of State-Based Regulations Define the Industry

What’s somewhat unique about the US is that regulations are state based. That not only means that betting is legal in some states and not others, but it also means rules can vary from region to region. Therefore, when you look at the top-rated US sportsbooks, it’s important to consider what’s available and where. The leading review sites, such as SBO, will note the differences between states and, moreover, outline what is available in each region. This is important because someone in Virginia might not be able to access the same sportsbook as someone in Michigan.
The interesting thing to monitor in the coming years will be the development of liquidity sharing pacts and cross-state agreements. As it stands, New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada have an agreement that allows licensed poker operators with sites in each state to merge their player pools. For example, WSOP.com/888poker lets customers in New Jersey and Nevada play against each other.
Changes May Be on the Horizon
Given that sport is universal, it may be the case that states start linking their betting platforms. Or, potentially, it may get to the point where every US state has its own sports betting laws. At this point, it would be sensible to enact a federal sports betting law that, in turn, would remove the geolocation checks currently used by state-based operators.
Whichever way the market evolves, the point is that it’s evolving. Moreover, it’s already extremely lucrative. From virtually nothing, it’s taken less than three years for the industry to be turning over billions of dollars every month.
In fact, it’s got to the point where major sports leagues and franchises, including the NBA and NFL, have partnered with the likes of DraftKings, PokerStars, and FanDuel. These relationships have the power to make sport an even more lucrative industry than it already is. However, more importantly, it’s another example of how sport is big business in the US.