In many corners of the country, the landmark ruling by the Supreme Court earlier this week that effectively legalized gambling on sports across the United States was hailed and celebrated.
Not at the New Jersey home of former Senator Bill Bradley.
In an interview with NorthJersey.com, Bradley made it clear he thinks the ruling – which overturns legislation he helped pass in 1992 that banned betting on sports – is a mistake and referred to betting as “a poison seeping into the system of sports as we have known it.”
Bradley – who played for the Knicks before taking office – said the ruling turns “every basketball player, football player and baseball player into a roulette chip” and will lead to people betting on everything from pro sports to high school contests to AAU games played by 14-year-olds.
“I think the game will be corrupted,” he said. “Do you really want to go to your son’s high school basketball or football game and see people in the crowd who are betting, who are not rooting for your child to win or lose, but are betting on a spread? It’ll be pervasive. It is destructive. But again, it’s the Supreme Court making a decision on very narrow grounds.”
Whether you’re looking to get into shape, or just get out of a funk, The Charge has got you covered. Sign up for our new wellness newsletter today.
