The Tennessee Senate Government Operations Committee recently voted 8-1 to recommend against passage of a bill that would legalize statewide mobile sports gambling. The rejection isn’t binding and the legislation now will go to another committee for consideration.
The bill, sponsored by state Senator Steve Dickerson, would have sports regulated by the Tennessee Lottery. Ten licenses would be issued, with operators paying a licensing fee of $750,000 each. Dickerson said sports betting could generate up to $50 million in revenue in its second year. He noted his legislation would bring sports wagering out of the illegal black market and into a regulated, legal system.
Opponents included state Senator Janice Bowling, who questioned if people currently gambling illegally would opt to do it legally. State Rep. Jonny Shaw previously said, “I think we’re moving down the wrong path when we start legalizing gambling online. Some things we just don’t do, and money is not everything. The state of Tennessee, if we can save one person, it’s much more important than making a million dollars, is the way I see this.”
Earlier, an amendment that would have banned gambling from 3-10 p.m. on Sundays and major holidays was narrowly rejected in a 10-9 vote in the House State Committee.
