Most of $10B bet on March Madness will be illegal
By Richard N. Velotta, Las Vegas Review-Journal
The American Gaming Association believes $10 billion will be bet on the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, and only 3 percent of that will be wagered legally.
Most of the betting money that will change hands as 68 teams vie for a national championship beginning Tuesday night will occur in office pools and bracket contests that are illegal in most states.
But the association representing the $240 billion casino industry used the kickoff of March Madness to highlight its fight to repeal the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act and legalize sports wagering nationwide.