The potential impact of the Murphy v. NCAA decision on sports betting in the United States

On 14 May 2018, the United States Supreme Court finally handed down its long-awaited decision in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (formerly Christie v NCAA)1. The case, which has been winding its way through the Federal courts since 2012, involved the State of New Jersey’s attempt to overturn the federal ban on state-sanctioned single-game sports wagering outside of Nevada. For the background to the case, please see the author’s previous LawInSport article: Sports Betting in the United States: Supreme Court begins hearing Christie v. NCAA.2

This article briefly reviews the facts and the Supreme Court’s decision, before analyzing its potential impact. A copy of the decision is available here. The decision focuses on the separation of powers between the Federal and State governments and is therefore mainly of relevance to the United States. As a result, the majority of the article will focus on the decision’s potential impact on sports betting in the United States. Specifically, it examines:

• Background to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act

• Facts and main arguments of the case

• Decision of the Supreme Court

• Analysis – the impact of the decision

• Comment