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Shohei Ohtani scandal could focus more attention on the 'Wild West' of sports betting, lawmakers say
NBC Sports ^ | March 25, 2024 | Corky Siemaszko

Posted on 03/25/2024 5:14:45 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican

Two lawmakers who are pushing bills aimed at reining in the sports betting industry say there is a silver lining to the scandal that has ensnared the Japanese interpreter of Los Angeles Dodgers baseball phenom Shohei Ohtani: It will shine a spotlight on the plague of gambling addiction.

“This situation clearly demonstrates the impact and harm that gambling addiction can inflict,” said Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y, who this month introduced the SAFE Bet Act to deal with what he has called a “public health crisis.”

Both Tonko and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced their bills before the news broke that Ippei Mizuhara had allegedly stole $4.5 million from Ohtani to pay off bookies in Southern California who were being investigated by the U.S. government.

“The widespread legalization and promotion of sports gambling will only make this type of incident more common moving forward,” Tonko said in an emailed response to a question from NBC News. “We have an obligation to address the predatory practices of this industry and protect consumers, which precisely what my SAFE Bet Act aims to do.”

The act would require states to meet certain rules related to sports betting, including on advertising, money deposits and the use of artificial intelligence.

The American Gaming Association, which advocates on behalf of the industry, said that the Ohtani case involved illegal gambling and that should be the focus of lawmakers.

(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...


TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS:
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1 posted on 03/25/2024 5:14:45 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Congress cares about sports betting.....why????


2 posted on 03/25/2024 5:16:54 PM PDT by alstewartfan (Child slavery, rape and drug OD's mean nothing to Roberts and Barrett. )
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To: alstewartfan

It could only be one reason...they think they aren’t getting enough of the cut.


3 posted on 03/25/2024 5:20:11 PM PDT by Newtoidaho (All I ask of living is to have no chains on me.)
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To: alstewartfan

They’re demanding their share of the loot.


4 posted on 03/25/2024 5:20:54 PM PDT by No name given (Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: MinorityRepublican

I think the Dodger’s season just took a serious nosedive.


5 posted on 03/25/2024 5:21:11 PM PDT by ducttape45 (Proverbs 14:34, "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.")
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To: ducttape45

I bet your right


6 posted on 03/25/2024 5:23:36 PM PDT by al baby (I know sarcasm )
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To: alstewartfan

To show they care about people. The Dems gambit is to have and create enough misery to get the votes of the miserable ( who gullibly believe the Dems want to fix things) Then the elected Dems do the grift. RINOS cater to more affluent people in misery. Then they do the grift.


7 posted on 03/25/2024 5:24:50 PM PDT by Getready (Wisdom is more valuable than gold and harder to find.)
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To: ducttape45
I think the Dodger’s season just took a serious nosedive.

I think they'll announce that they have to put Ohtani on leave while they're doing an investigation. They did the same thing to Trevor Bauer.

8 posted on 03/25/2024 5:26:30 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Moar laws and moar federal spending, please.

No matter that this Dodgers interpreter would have been caught early on had better accounting practices been in place.

As I see it, it’s not a betting problem. It’s an embezzlement problem. And there are already plenty of laws in place for that.


9 posted on 03/25/2024 5:29:14 PM PDT by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Ohtani says he didn’t know...someone has to ok the transfer of HIS funds...who OK’D that?. That is the one big piece which is missing.

Ohtani said that he NEVER bet on any games....but his friends could have bet instead of him and shared any loot.

This could get ugly. Chicago Black Sox anyone?


10 posted on 03/25/2024 5:30:59 PM PDT by Getready (Wisdom is more valuable than gold and harder to find.)
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To: MinorityRepublican
I've noticed that MGM sports betting heavily targets the Negro community; it seems evil to me.

11 posted on 03/25/2024 5:33:58 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie (LORD, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.)
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To: alstewartfan

Sports leagues have anti-trust exemptions. match fixing may violate these exemptions.


12 posted on 03/25/2024 5:39:04 PM PDT by LukeL
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To: MinorityRepublican
Two lawmakers who are pushing bills aimed at reining in the sports betting industry

He didn't use the sports industry to place his bets. He used an old fashioned bookmaker so the rush for new laws is reflexive BS.

13 posted on 03/25/2024 5:42:55 PM PDT by JonPreston ( ✌ ☮️ )
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To: MinorityRepublican

Our judicial system is rigged, why the concern that our sport outcomes are rigged as well?


14 posted on 03/25/2024 5:45:29 PM PDT by alternatives?
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To: LukeL
Sports leagues have anti-trust exemptions. match fixing may violate these exemptions.

Time to revoke the anti-trust exemption. They failed to control legalized gambling. So in theory, this will open up lawsuits against the sports leagues because all of them operated as a monopoly.

15 posted on 03/25/2024 5:48:16 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: Governor Dinwiddie

On a related note, scam “car repair coverage” companies like CarShield target blacks almost exclusively. And their TV commercials feature blacks almost exclusively.

Good luck getting those companies to fully pay a claim, or pay a claim at all. There’s usually some loophole they fall back on. The Better Business Bureau says “use caution” when considering CarShield.

https://www.bbb.org/us/mo/saint-peters/profile/auto-service-contract-companies/carshield-0734-310030296

Yet black TV actor Ice-T says you better get coverage now! It’s really shameful how he’s selling out poor people.


16 posted on 03/25/2024 5:50:05 PM PDT by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Biggest mistake was when the leagues promoted apps which allowed for free betting which operated like a sweepstakes. They then teamed up with Vegas and promoted real sports books. They then had to both tell all league employees that gambling was wrong while telling fans it was fun.


17 posted on 03/25/2024 5:54:30 PM PDT by LukeL
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To: alstewartfan

“”Congress cares about sports betting.....why????””

Kind of like the congressional hearing on the use of steroids years ago with baseball players...so much water over the dam since then, I have trouble remembering the names...One was Curt Schilling??? Better memories than mine here...


18 posted on 03/25/2024 6:04:29 PM PDT by Thank You Rush
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To: Leaning Right
I agree with you 100%. Targetting any vulnerble group with scams is just evil and plain un-American.

19 posted on 03/25/2024 6:06:46 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie (LORD, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.)
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To: LukeL

To me, one of the big mistakes is having Golden Knights, Raiders and soon the A’s setting up shop in Vegas.


20 posted on 03/25/2024 6:07:07 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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