Delaware court says "place your bets"
U.S. District Court judge Gregory Sleet Wednesday rejected a request for a preliminary injunction to stop Delaware made by the NFL and other pro sports leagues, along with the NCAA.
U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Sleet Wednesday rejected a request for a preliminary injunction to stop Delaware made by the NFL and other pro sports leagues, along with the NCAA.
Listen:
[audio: /delaware/090805tbdelbet.mp3]
Sleet said the leagues and the NCAA failed to meet any of the standards necessary to warrant an injunction, including that they would suffer irreparable harm by allowing Delaware to move forward.
Delaware’s lawyer, David Margules, is “gratified” by the decision.
The plantiffs’ lawyer, Kenneth Nachbar, says this clients will examine their legal options in the wake of today’s ruling – but realizes Delaware is likely to get betting underway in time for the start of the NFL season, September 10th.
“We believe that that is the State’s intention. And we believe that would be detrimental to the sports leagues and the NCAA and contrary to what Congress set forth in PASPA.” said Nachbar.
PASPA is the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. Delaware has exempted from that law based on NFL parlay sports betting games it offered in 1976.
The leagues say Delaware’s current plan to allow single game bets goes beyond the allowed exemption.
Sleet Wednesday scheduled a trial to decide that issue and if the betting plan violates Delaware’s state constitution starting December 7th.
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