Schumer had previously helped introduce similar legislation that never gained momentumGETTY IMAGES
U.S. Sens Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah) are "in the early stages of collaborating on federal sports betting legislation," according to sources cited by David Purdum of ESPN.com. The legislation is "expected to be similar to the Sports Wagering Market Integrity Act introduced in December by Schumer" and former U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, which "never gained momentum." There is "no timeline for the introduction for Schumer and Romney's bill." The NCAA would "prefer that a prohibition on betting on collegiate sports be included in federal legislation, but there are legal questions about any such carve-out." NCAA VP/Hearing Operations Naima Stevenson Starks said, "We are absolutely supportive of federal regulation. It's fairly daunting to think that every state would have a different set of regulations." Since the Supreme Court lifted the federal ban on sports betting in May '18, legal sportsbooks have "begun operating in 13 states." None of those have "banned wagering on collegiate sports," although some states like New Jersey do not "allow betting on games involving in-state colleges." The bill introduced by Schumer and Hatch last year "did not include a prohibition on betting on college sports" (ESPN.com, 9/10).
