A bill introduced yesterday by U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) would have the Justice Department "set minimum standards for states to offer sports betting," according to Wayne Parry of the AP. The bill "does not explicitly provide the sports leagues the cut of gambling revenue they have been seeking, so-called 'integrity fees,' but does not prohibit them, either." Hatch said that once the Supreme Court struck down the Professional & Amateur Sports Protection Act in May, he "began working with stakeholders to ensure we were doing everything possible to protect the integrity of sports from corruption." Hatch: "The legislation we've introduced today is the culmination of eight months of high-level meetings, discussions, and negotiations, and will serve as a placeholder for the next Congress, should they decide to continue working to address these issues." Parry noted the NFL "weighed in" with a "letter to the senators expressing support." NFL Exec VP/Communications & Public Affairs Jocelyn Moore wrote, "Without continued federal guidance and oversight, we are very concerned that sports leagues and state governments alone will not be able to fully protect the integrity of sporting contests and guard against the harms Congress has long recognized as being associated with sports betting." MLB in a statement said, "Legalized sports betting is rapidly spreading across the country, creating a clear need for a set of consistent, nationwide integrity standards to protect the sports that millions of Americans love." The PGA Tour also "called for establishment of a national body to oversee the integrity of sports." The proposed bill also would "provide federal funding from sports betting taxes for programs to address problem gambling" (AP, 12/19). THE HILL's Chris Mills Rodrigo noted federal lawmakers have "very few days left" before "recessing for the holidays, leaving little time to take action on the bill" (THEHILL.com, 12/19).
