“Considering the fact that so many state governments—probably between 40 and 50—don’t consider it immoral, I don’t think that anyone should. It may be a little immoral because in reality it is a tax on the poor; the lotteries. But having said that, it’s now a matter of national policy. Gambling is good.”
No, that high profile quote is not attributable to a member of the U.S. Congress, a state governor nor other public official or public figure. Most people had no clue who said it until it was published on Dec. 11, 2009 in a Sports Illustrated interview that writer Ian Thomsen had with National Basketball Association (NBA) Commissioner, David Stern. In it, Stern reveals that his stance on legalized sports betting has softened.
But having been the NBA’s face for the past 25 years, Stern has no less been a shrewd businessman. Moreover, as a studied attorney, he knows the meaning of precedent and its value in proving one’s case.
As such, the prevailing precedent Stern created was his steadfast endorsement of the prohibition of legalized sports betting. And therefore...
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