Las Vegas is the epitome of sports gambling in the United States. It’s the only state allowed to host legally regulated sports gambling and has several sportsbooks located within its casinos. Now, a former ABC and ESPN sports broadcaster is ready to give sports fans a whole new betting experience through an established sports gambling network.
Brent Musburger, the storied reporter, announced his retirement from sports broadcasting earlier year. Now that he’s broadcasted his final game, Musburger is ready to embark on his next chapter—the Vegas Stats & Information Network (VSiN). Musburger has joined forces with Hall of Fame announcer Al Bernstein and Gill Alexander, host of the “Beating the Book” podcast. Vegas oddsmakers Jimmy Vaccaro (who is responsible for the betting lines at the South Point sportsbook in Las Vegas), Vinny Magliulo and Chris Andrews have also stepped into the fold. The goal of VSiN is to be “your trusted source for exclusive sports gambling news, analysis and data.” This includes live podcasts, articles and other content, all on the subject of sports betting.
The site isn’t officially launching until February 27th, but it is already laying out the groundwork for what looks poised to be a successful venture. Sports gambling is on the rise. There are several states with bills circulating legislation that propose legalizing and regulating sports gambling. The Daily Fantasy Sports market has exploded in recent years and states are also pushing out bills to regulate it. However, despite the excitement surrounding the industry, there is still one huge obstacle in the way of VSiN achieving its true goal(s)—PASPA. PASPA, or the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, bans sports gambling in 46 states. Obviously, Nevada is one of the four states that are allowed to have it. This is because there was already an established sports betting industry in Vegas. All of the states pushing bills regarding sports gambling are banking on something happening with PASPA this year.
While VSiN is catered to Nevada residents who can legally bet, the idea of the site is to expand as the sports gambling industry does. For Colorado residents, and residents from any other state affected by PASPA for that matter, offshore sportsbooks are still a legal and viable option for sports gambling, so the VSiN would be a helpful resource for people using those sites. The fact that VSiN is even exists showcases the growing demand for sports gambling in the states.
“Sports gambling is a multi-billion dollar industry that has been forced to operate largely underground, leaving consumers scouring the internet and searching for winks and nods from broadcasters to inform their decisions. We’re so excited to bring together award-winning broadcasters and producers, legendary oddsmakers, as well as a team of content, tech, media and gaming experts to illustrate the legitimacy of, and science behind, this huge and undeserved market,” said Musburger in a statement.
VSiN’s launch date falls in line with the beginning of the NCAA’s March Madness tournament, an exciting opportunity for sports bettors. Colorado sports gambling is restricted by PASPA, so residents can use offshore sportsbooks to safely bet online. VSiN will be a viable source for sports gambling information for both novice and experienced bettors. Musburger’s ambitious initiative is a testament to the nation’s changing stance on sports gambling and could be pointing towards a significant change to come soon.