Tennessee To Permit Online Sports Betting Beginning This Summer

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said that he will allow a sports betting bill to "become law without his signature," according to Natalie Allison of the Nashville TENNESSEAN. The state Senate yesterday "passed legislation that would permit online sports gambling beginning July 1, while continuing to prohibit the practice at brick-and-mortar locations." Tax revenue from the sports gambling industry is projected to bring in an estimated $50M each year, which will be "set aside for education, local government and gambling addiction treatment." The legislation "establishes a nine-member commission, housed within the state Lottery Commission, to oversee sports betting regulations." The bill also includes a list of types of people "prohibited from making sports wagers -- including the athletes and team owners involved, people who run sports betting operations and others with influence over a game's outcome -- and makes it a misdemeanor if they do cast bets" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 5/1).