NFL ready to reap rewards of legalized gambling whether it admits it or not

All this is vexing in the sense that the NFL will have take a few more measures to ensure, or at least to make the appearance of ensuring, a surge in legal nationwide sports gambling doesn’t affect the on-field product. That’s partly why the league is hanging back from any immediate reaction beyond a vague call to Congress to arrange a “core regulatory framework” for sports bets on the federal level. There are no specific prescriptions laid out by the league — just hope for some semblance of order. Meanwhile, the NFLPA noted it will collaborate with players unions across other sports to protect player safety as well as privacy and publicity rights for its members.

What is sure to be less upsetting to the league and the unions is a host of potential additional revenue opportunities. Even before the ruling, the market for American sports gambling was said to be about $150 billion, and soon there will be a more convenient betting process for casual fans. Football, with its massive national reach, scarcity of games and frequent breaks, has long been considered the ideal sport for gambling. It’s easier for casual fans to keep up with than other professional sports, so more people feel like they have a handle on how things will play out. Therefore, more fans feel comfortable wagering money on the outcome, and gamblers are some of the most reliable and heaviest consumers of sports on TV.

In anticipation of the possibility of this ruling, NFL owners and executives in March during annual meetings began discussing a brave new world where fans can make instantaneous prop bets inside the stadium during games as a way for the league to get in on the gravy train. A few owners with stakes in Premier League franchises are aware of how this is already a reality in the EPL. The NBA announced it will seek 1 percent of all bets made on its games. While the NFL has indicated no plans of doing the same, owners who spoke with Albert Breer suggested they'll just copy the NBA's idea if it works. The NFL know it has a few years for the ruling to trickle down to legislation on the state level, and it's willing to play it slow to maximize earning.

The NFL has in years past tread carefully when it comes to its association with gambling. Quite a few old-guard owners had to be coaxed by younger executives so a Las Vegas team could be a reality. Now, before the Raiders even begin playing there, it seems like an outdated concern. For years, the NFL frowned on the secondary ticket market, another thing it considered seedy, only to later enthusiastically get in on the action to earn large sums. The new opportunities offered by the Supreme Court come with risks of corruption and a possible showdown with the union of how to split additional revenue, but rest assured those are risks the league is not only open to, but has anticipated.