Much like with alcohol during the Prohibition Era, those interested in betting on sports outside of Nevada simply participated in a thriving black market that's believed to handle an estimated $150 billion in bets annually. 5, 1933, repealing the ban on alcohol.Īnother prohibition of an American pastime was put in place in 1992 and lasted twice as long as the alcohol ban.įor 26 years, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 made the business of bookmaking illegal in all but a handful of states, most notably Nevada.

The Prohibition Era lasted 13 years, before the 21st Amendment nullified the 18th Amendment on Dec. Industrial-strength alcohol, including the kind designed for fuel, was stirred into some batches of bathtub gin, causing people to go blind and killing many others. Those who indulged simply participated in the thriving, unregulated black market that was run by organized crime and bootleggers. The prohibition of alcohol began January 17, 1920, when the 18th Amendment took effect, making the business of booze illegal.ĭrinking initially declined, but was of course not eliminated. Sports betting legalization: How we got here You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser

Is sports betting legal in us