England’s Premier League Supports American Sports Betting

Premier LeagueEngland’s Premier League would support an expanded sports betting market in the US, according to rights partner Football DataCo.

The US Supreme Court is due to rule on New Jersey’s bid to overturn the federal 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which blocks states from legalizing sports wagering.

Nevada is currently the only state in which punters can legally wager on sports in the US, but the situation could change should New Jersey succeed in its long-running effort.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Major League Baseball (MLB), as well as golf’s PGA Tour, have publicly backed New Jersey, with the two former competitions also setting out potential laws.

Attorneys for the NBA and MLB have suggested sports betting firms be required to use official league data, share customer data, as well as pay a percentage fee of the amount wagered on the sports and allow leagues to have input on the type of bets sports books can offer.

Adrian Ford, general manager of Football DataCo, the official rights-holder for the Premier League and all professional football leagues in England and Scotland, said the Premier League would support this approach.

“Broadly, we don’t think what the leagues are asking for is fundamentally wrong, if you’re trying to come up with a framework that works for both parties,” Ford told ESPN.

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