The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday to overturn the federal ban that has made sports wagering illegal outside of Nevada since 1992, and Mark Cuban seems to think Major League Baseball stands to gain the most from the decision.
Not long after the 7-2 ruling was announced, Cuban was asked for his reaction. He took that as an opportunity to rag on the sport of baseball.
Mark Cuban to CNBC on sports gambling decision: "I mean, look, it could finally become fun to go to a baseball game again."
— Dan Steinberg (@dcsportsbog) May 14, 2018
Cuban’s stance, of course, is merely his own opinion. Some people would tell you sitting through an entire baseball game is a lot easier than watching an NBA game in which the outcome is basically determined in the final two minutes, but that’s an argument for another day.
Baseball has been especially fearful of ties to gambling because of a long history of corruption that dates back to the 1919 World Series. You could say the NBA should be just as concerned after what happened with disgraced official Tim Donaghy, but commissioner Adam Silver has long been pushing for the legalization of betting.
While the federal ban on sports gambling has been lifted, states still ultimately get to decide how they will proceed. Sports leagues will also now turn their attention toward making sure players, coaches, officials and others associated with teams and the outcomes of games do not compromise the integrity of the sport.
