The National Football League has approved a lease agreement between the Raiders and the Las Vegas Stadium Authority, but there could be choppy waters ahead with the league certain to take issue with an apparent loophole in the document which, in effect, would allow fans to place sports bets from the stadium on their phones.
The lease contains language that prohibits “any Gaming or Gambling, the maintaining or operating of a Gaming Establishment and/or sports wagering or any wagering on racing or other non-sports events” at the $1.9 billion, 65,000-seat domed stadium, which is expected to commence construction the end of this year in time for the 2020 NFL season.
There is, however, nothing in the wording that prevents anyone at the venue from accessing the mobile betting apps offered by the majority of Nevada’s regulated sports books.
This is according to local news reports citing the Stadium Authority, the public agency that will own the stadium, and gaming officials around town.
Stadium Authority Chairman Steve Hill said the wording would act only to prevent the Raiders from offering any gaming?it doesn’t address broader mobile gaming policy, which was first approved for in-state operations by the Nevada Legislature in 2005.
The NFL is all but certain to oppose mobile betting, and the Raiders are likely to do the same. An NFL spokesman told ESPN in the Raiders “are required to abide by league rules on the matter”. Technologically speaking, the team will have the ability to block access to betting sites. But then that could run them afoul of the state regulators charged with setting gaming policy.
“The NFL has not approached me for any policy decisions,” said Tony Alamo, who chairs the five-member Nevada Gaming Commission. “The Nevada Gaming Commission is the policy maker for the state of Nevada and gaming, and they have not approached us in any shape, way or form.”
Alamo has already stated publicly that he would not support removing the Raiders or any NFL team from sports book betting boards when the team begins playing in Las Vegas in 2020.
