The Economics Of Online Sports Betting

This chapter provides an overview of the online sports betting industry from an economic and legal perspective. The dual focus is necessary, given that the overlapping, and sometimes conflicting, regulatory environment lends itself to a decidedly “law and economics” inquiry. Following this overview of the pre-Internet environment is a multifaceted treatment of the online sportsbook, explaining the decided shift in its economic characteristics and the ambiguous legal status in which the industry resides. To avoid doubt, the economic-based coverage is applicable globally. In contrast, the...

This chapter provides an overview of the online sports betting industry from an economic and legal perspective. The dual focus is necessary, given that the overlapping, and sometimes conflicting, regulatory environment lends itself to a decidedly “law and economics” inquiry. Following this overview of the pre-Internet environment is a multifaceted treatment of the online sportsbook, explaining the decided shift in its economic characteristics and the ambiguous legal status in which the industry resides. To avoid doubt, the economic-based coverage is applicable globally. In contrast, the accompanying legal discussion focuses on jurisprudence in the United States.