Major League Baseball issues statement on Supreme Court’s sports betting ruling

Major League Baseball issued a statement Monday in response to the Supreme Court ruling that declared a 1992 federal law that outlawed sports betting in most states unconstitutional.

The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 was struck down by the Supreme Court’s 7-2 vote, giving states the right to create their own sports gambling laws.

“Today’s decision by the United States Supreme Court will have profound effects on Major League Baseball,” the statement reads. “As each state considers whether to allow sports betting, we will continue to seek the proper protections for our sport, in partnership with other professional sports. Our most important priority is protecting the integrity of our games.

“We will continue to support legislation that creates air-tight coordination and partnerships between the state, the casino operators and the governing bodies in sports toward that goal.”

The Associated Press reported the Supreme Court was encouraged to uphold the federal law by all four major professional sports leagues in the United States, the NCAA and the federal government.