The state regulation of sports betting is a better option for America. That is what Sara Slane, senior vice president of public affairs at the American Gaming Association (AGA), stated in testimony before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations, “Post-PASPA: An Examination of Sports Betting in America,”. She emphasized that federal oversight of sports betting is unnecessary in ongoing efforts to create effective legal sports betting markets in the United States.

Highlights of Slane’s opening remarks include:

“Because of the active, robust state and regulatory tribal gaming oversight, gaming is one of the most strictly regulated industries in America. Right now, over 4,000 gaming regulators with budgets that exceed $1.3 billion dollars oversee the gaming industry.”

In partnership with teams, leagues and regulators, gaming operators have successfully protected the integrity of both bets and competitions for decades in Nevada. AGA’s continued position of support for state and tribal regulators was echoed in testimony by Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairwoman Becky Harris.

“I don’t think that right now is the time for any kind of federal engagement with regard to gambling,” said Chairwoman Harris. “States do a great job in every area including sports betting and we’ve just begun to see the roll out in other states. Nevada has a comprehensive regulatory structure that has been refined over decades, and we have a lot of integrity in our process.”

Tribal and state regulation of sports betting across the country is the norm.

“Just as Congress has refrained from regulating lotteries, slot machines, table games and other gambling products, it should leave sports betting oversight to the states and tribes that are closest to the market,” continued Slane. “With such robust and rigorous regulatory oversight at both the state and federal levels, there is no need to overcomplicate or interfere with a system that is already working.”