SJ0026 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0026 LRB100 12172 MST 24552 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, In 1993, the United States Congress enacted the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (28 U.S.C. §3701 et seq.), prohibiting states and local governments from authorizing sports betting on amateur and professional athletes or games; and

WHEREAS, The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act makes it unlawful to advertise, authorize, operate, promote, or sponsor betting or wagering on one or more competitive games in which amateur or professional athletes participate or are intended to participate, or on one or more performances of those athletes in those games; and

WHEREAS, As a result of the exceptions contained in the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, sports betting is permitted in Nevada, Delaware, Oregon, and Montana, but prohibited in the remaining 46 states of the United States, including Illinois; and

WHEREAS, As a result of the exceptions in the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, Nevada reported $4.2 billion and $4.5 billion in total sports betting wagers, in 2015 and 2016 respectively, and reported revenues of $231 million and $219 million in 2015 and 2016, respectively; and

WHEREAS, The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act discriminates against Illinois and deprives the State of the opportunities afforded to Nevada, Delaware, Oregon, and Montana to raise millions of dollars in revenue that would potentially flow from the legislative authorization of sports betting in this State; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge President Trump and the United States Congress to remove the ban on sports betting or wagering by repealing the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to President Donald Trump, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan, U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and all members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation.