Oregonians are going to be able to place wagers on the NFL, including possibly some of the prop bets seen in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, however, they will have to wait until next year to do so. According to a report by Oregon media outlet KATU, the Oregon Lottery has stated that it hopes to have a mobile sports gambling app available before the start of the next NFL season.
Oregon already allows a limited amount of sports gambling. When the U.S. government cracked down on the activity with the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1972 (PASPA), Oregon was exempt because it already offered sports gambling-type games, including a type of “pick ‘em” wagering activity on football offered by the Oregon Lottery that was finally withdrawn about ten years ago.
Now, however, the Oregon Lottery is reviving its sports gambling activity and is preparing the mobile app. At first, wagers will only be allowed on the outcome of games, either against the spread or the final outcome, but other football-related bets could be allowed in the future.
According to a spokesperson for the lottery, Matthew Shelby, “It’s in the black market, offshore sports betting operations that people can access. The question that we’re looking at is should there be a regulated, state-run way for people to do that?”