New Jersey calls NFL hypocritical over sports betting
Lawmakers from the state of New Jersey called the NFL hypocrites at a public hearing in Atlantic City on Monday, the Associated Press reported.
The state legislature is aiming to legalize sports betting at casinos, horse tracks and on the internet, and made the accusation toward the NFL because the league conducts business with TV networks that discuss and indirectly promote gambling on games.
At Monday?s hearing, NFL spokesman Timothy McDonough stated that the league?s involvement in sports gambling could jeopardize the integrity of the game.
"Mistakes are made in the course of the game, either by the ref or by players," McDonough said. "But when mistakes are made, to a less rational person who is placing a bet, a mistake becomes a fix."
McDonough also mentioned that the NFL does not seek to promote gambling, particularly to its youth fans.
New Jersey State Senator Jim Whelan vehemently disagreed with the notion that the league is against promoting its product in any way.
"The league has a contractual relationship with broadcast networks, and they go on and talk about the line, will the Eagles cover the spread against the Giants?" Whelan said. "There's a level of hypocrisy that the NFL and other professional leagues bring."
Joseph Brennan, CEO of the Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association, also charged the NFL with being two-faced.
"It's everywhere. It's in full view," he said. "Just open the sports section today. Look on ESPN.com: What's the spread? It's 7 for Duke over Butler.?
McDonough rebutted that gambling-related talk is not supposed to occur over the air but because of the First Amendment the NFL cannot force talent on TV to refrain from saying certain things.
"Sports in general has tainted themselves a little bit," added Senator Robert W. Singer after pointing to steroids in baseball. "I don't think sports betting taints anything."
After being denied a change in the law, New Jersey is suing the federal government to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. The lawsuit claims the U.S. law is unconstitutional because it treats four states (Nevada, Delaware, Montana, Oregon) differently from the rest.
A report by an outside consultant hired by Brennan?s firm estimated sports betting could bring in $10 billion annually by 2011 which could equate to a $100 million a year in tax revenue for New Jersey.
Lawmakers from the state of New Jersey called the NFL hypocrites at a public hearing in Atlantic City on Monday, the Associated Press reported.
The state legislature is aiming to legalize sports betting at casinos, horse tracks and on the internet, and made the accusation toward the NFL because the league conducts business with TV networks that discuss and indirectly promote gambling on games.
At Monday?s hearing, NFL spokesman Timothy McDonough stated that the league?s involvement in sports gambling could jeopardize the integrity of the game.
"Mistakes are made in the course of the game, either by the ref or by players," McDonough said. "But when mistakes are made, to a less rational person who is placing a bet, a mistake becomes a fix."
McDonough also mentioned that the NFL does not seek to promote gambling, particularly to its youth fans.
New Jersey State Senator Jim Whelan vehemently disagreed with the notion that the league is against promoting its product in any way.
"The league has a contractual relationship with broadcast networks, and they go on and talk about the line, will the Eagles cover the spread against the Giants?" Whelan said. "There's a level of hypocrisy that the NFL and other professional leagues bring."
Joseph Brennan, CEO of the Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association, also charged the NFL with being two-faced.
"It's everywhere. It's in full view," he said. "Just open the sports section today. Look on ESPN.com: What's the spread? It's 7 for Duke over Butler.?
McDonough rebutted that gambling-related talk is not supposed to occur over the air but because of the First Amendment the NFL cannot force talent on TV to refrain from saying certain things.
"Sports in general has tainted themselves a little bit," added Senator Robert W. Singer after pointing to steroids in baseball. "I don't think sports betting taints anything."
After being denied a change in the law, New Jersey is suing the federal government to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. The lawsuit claims the U.S. law is unconstitutional because it treats four states (Nevada, Delaware, Montana, Oregon) differently from the rest.
A report by an outside consultant hired by Brennan?s firm estimated sports betting could bring in $10 billion annually by 2011 which could equate to a $100 million a year in tax revenue for New Jersey.
