Despite major opposition in Oregon’s legislature, experts still think that Oregon will have mobile sports betting by football season. Recently, there were actions made by Oregon Senator Chuck Riley (D) that would make sports betting by mobile device illegal. The bill passed on May 9th but nothing has happened with it since.
Now, Sen. Mark Hass (D) proposed a bill to prohibit mobile betting throughout the state. Hess’s bill reads “The Oregon State Lottery Commission may not offer a sports betting game unless tickets or shares for the game may be purchased solely via equipment: (a) That is owned or leased by the Oregon State Lottery.”
The state of Oregon, unlike most other states, does not really need to pass new legislation regarding sports betting to make mobile betting a reality. They are one of four states that were exempt from the PAPSA law that prohibited it. They were “grandfathered in”, so to speak.
The state has already hired SB Tech to handle its sports betting project and many in the state are fighting the process tooth and nail. But many in the industry say to fear not, mobile sports betting in Oregon is imminent.