The Future Of Sports And Gambling In Massachusetts

A Supreme Court decision this week struck down a 1992 federal law blocking most states from legalizing sports betting.

The court considered the question in purely constitutional terms, but the 6-3 decision instantly transformed the issue into purely economic terms for states, and for sports teams and leagues. By one estimate from the American Gaming Association, until yesterday, at least $150 billion per year were wagered illegally on sports in the United States.

So, is this an incredible opportunity to "engage" a new generation of fans? Or a new generation of gambling addicts? Could this be a risk to the integrity of the game, of any game? All of the above?

Shira Springer, WBUR sports and society reporter. She tweets @ShiraSpringer.

Andrew Brandt, is an NFL business analyst for ESPN, columnist for Sports Illustrated and director of the Moorad Center for Sports Law at Villanova Law School. He tweets @AndrewBrandt.

Laila Mintas, is the deputy president at US Sportradar. She tweets @DrMintas.