Tennessee has legalised online sports betting exclusively after the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act passed through the state legislature.
Gov. Bill Lee chose to not sign the bill but let it pass through as law anyway, as he said he would. Lee said in a statement that he opposes gambling philosophically, but that online-only betting was a compromise between himself and the General Assembly.
The main counterpoint to the bill was centred on addiction. Rep. Andy Holt argued that allowing it to pass would be “pouring fire” on the addiction issues already existing in Tennessee.
The opposition even added an amendment that would put some of the revenue generated by legalised sports betting towards gambling addiction treatment.
