High court betting case pits states against sports leagues

The Supreme Court is taking up a case that could make wagering on sports widely available nationwide.

The high court is weighing whether a federal law that prevents states from authorizing sports betting is constitutional. If the Supreme Court strikes down the law, dozens of states could quickly make sports betting legal.

Monday’s case pits New Jersey and other states against all four major U.S. professional sports leagues and the federal government. The stakes are high.

The American Gaming Association estimates that Americans illegally wager $150 billion on sports each year. In court, the NBA, NFL, NHL and Major League Baseball have fought New Jersey, arguing that expanding gambling would hurt the integrity of their games. More than a dozen states are supporting New Jersey.