Written by: Karen Suhaka | October 15, 2018

If you had participated in sports betting at the turn of the new year, you may have found yourself in some hot water in most states in America. That’s because at the time, and even technically right now, sports betting is still considered illegal at the state level.

That’s changing fast, though, thanks to a landmark judgment by the Supreme Court. Congress voted that ultimately each state has the right to vote on legalizing sports betting. It’s the first progress that the betting industry has made in some time.

If you are interested in the history of sports betting and what legalizing it might mean going forward, https://njgames.org/ has compiled a very interesting infographic so that all the facts are laid out for you. Take a look at it below.

I Don’t Gamble, Should I Care?

So, you won’t be placing a bet anytime soon, but that does not mean that you won’t benefit from the industry being legalized. Let’s be honest here, legal or not, people were still taking part. By making this a legal pastime, the government gets to benefit from the income generated.

This, in turn, means that it can provide better services to its citizens while also decreasing the budgetary deficit. In short, your tax burden could be lightened. Another area that you could benefit from is that the gambling industry is forecasted to create more than 200,000 jobs nationwide.

While you might not gamble now, if you do feel the urge to try your luck, you will have every right to be able to do so. Without having to find some seedy bar and low-life bookie that charges an eye-watering premium for offering the service.

Legalizing this industry was a smart move. At least this way, more people can benefit from it.