For the quarter century-plus from 1992 until May 2018, the four prominent U.S.-based professional sports leagues plus the NCAA acted as the legal bulwark against the expansion of legal sports betting outside Nevada.
Things changed when the Supreme Court announced its decision in Murphy v NCAA, which opened the floodgates for the legalization of sports wagering nationwide. Senators and congressmen across the country heeded the call, and the leagues, well, they played ball. This began with Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association announcing a first wave of authorized gaming operators, which are effectively licensing and sponsorship agreements with certain sportsbooks.
