Bill to Allow College Sports Betting in Oregon Could Be Passed by March Madness

By Matt Speakman,
Betting Expert at online-gambling.com

Matt Speakman Betting Expert at online-gambling.com

A die-hard fan of the Patriots, Matt Speakman is an expert on everything related to sports betting and DFS sites. Over the years, he has proven a valuable asset for our team at online-gambling.com. You can find Speakman's professional tips and tricks in any of his many articles on the website.

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Last updated: March 5, 2022

This year might be the last that the gamblers cannot wager legally on March Madness online in Oregon if Senate President, Peter Courtney, manages to push his Oregon’s College Sports Betting Bill.

On the other hand, this will impose a limitation on the types of available wagers. Despite the popularity of knockouts in college football and betting on the state’s March Madness, these issues still cannot be resolved. Pennsylvania-based bettors are expected to follow the competition with many of their college teams participating. With this in mind, sports betting sites in PA are expecting a lot of new sign-ups during the tournament.

What Oregon College Sports Betting Will Bring to the State?

Connor Radnovich, who works for Salem Statesman Journal, said that Courtney submitted his bill to the Senate Rules Committee at the beginning of this week. SB1503 just says that the Oregon Lottery can accept bets on college sports.

During the hearing, two amendments were made. The first one adds a restriction that prohibits betting on the results of particular athletes. The second one distributes government income from college sports betting to college grants. There is currently no language prohibiting betting on college teams in the state, while Virginia and Illinois do have such restrictions. Moreover, residents now have legal opportunities to bet on college sports.

However, wagering at the moment can be done only if gamblers visit a tribal casino in person; it is important to note that this measure does not impact this. Instead, the option to do it online at the DraftKings bookmaker under the Oregon Lottery umbrella will be added. It is one of the causes why this bill has not been widely accepted. Few objections come from those who run these retail betting shops in tribal casinos.

The Bill is Facing Some Objections

The previously mentioned Salem Statesman Journal representative said that Justin Martin, a spokesperson of the Grand Rond Tribal Union, said at the hearing that he is worried that the opening of collegiate gambling for DraftKings at Oregon would affect his results.

Justin Martin, who represents the Grand Ronde Confederated tribes, told SB 1503 would steal money from the tribes, who rely heavily on casino income to support different services. Martin also said that SB1503 would take funds from the tribes.

“We need to take a pause and study this and look at the right way to do things in Oregon moving forward,” – he noted.

Courtney refused Martin’s view, saying that the proposed law has no effect on casino gambling. Martin is no longer the only one expressing frustration with the idea of legal online college sports betting in Oregon.

Because college sports betting has hitherto been restricted to tribal bookmakers across the state, colleges and universities have kept quiet about the action.

Sports directors from other places have legitimately voiced their objections. Among other things, they criticize the fact that it puts unnecessary pressure on athletes. Since they are not paid for their work, they are more sensitive to fixing the match than their peers in different competitions. How and whether this will work out is yet to be seen.