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How Gambling Decision Affects New Jersey Devils

By Nick Villano

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 04: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and attorney Ted Olson speak to members of the media as looks on in front of the U.S. Supreme Court December 4, 2017 in Washington, DC. The Supreme Court was scheduled to hear Christie vs. NCAA on whether states can legalize sports betting. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 04: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and attorney Ted Olson speak to members of the media as looks on in front of the U.S. Supreme Court December 4, 2017 in Washington, DC. The Supreme Court was scheduled to hear Christie vs. NCAA on whether states can legalize sports betting. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) /
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The U.S. Supreme Court made a major decision on Monday, paving the way for sports gambling to be legal. This could cause major changes for the New Jersey Devils.

A major decision coming down from Washington, D.C. has major effects on the state of New Jersey. A years-long fight to legalize sports gambling across the country went in the favor of New Jersey, which wants to instill the practice as fast as possible.

So, what does that mean for the teams that play in the Garden State?

Well, we don’t really know right now, but it’s always fun to speculate. Experts say New Jersey expects to be the first state to add sports gambling, which could come as quickly as the NBA Finals. So, that gives the New Jersey Devils as much time as possible to decide how they want to go about dealing with this.

Devils owner Josh Harris was the first to sign a deal linking his sports team with any kind of gambling. The Devils and Philadelphia 76ers partnered with Partypoker last year. That shows Harris’ willingness to work with gambling as long as it helps the bottom line.

So, what could the Devils do to help push gambling into the forefront if it allows?

There are a lot of questions that still need to be answered before we know exactly what’s allowed, but the Devils could be innovators, being a team that plays in New Jersey. Could there be betting windows inside the Prudential Center? Sure, why not. Could the Devils allow in-game betting, for those who want to bet the second period over/under? I don’t see why not.

The team should be careful. Going to a hockey game is still considered a family-friendly event (despite the cursing and beer throwing that happens at every game). Management should take a survey of some kind among season ticket holders to see if this would be some kind of deal breaker for them renewing. The Devils need to make sure the fans come first in this decision.

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That being said, this could be really good if the fans get behind it. Especially if the Devils become the first team to add these amenities, it could be a real revenue driver. This could help put butts in the seats for those looking for a different experience.

The Devils current ownership group showed in the past they are willing to make decisions against the grain. This could be something innovative to make the Devils different, but a lot needs to happen before the Devils could do it. Like I said before, the fans need to get behind it. It’s not worth losing ticket sales to add this. Also, it has to go through Gary Bettman’s office. He hasn’t been behind sports gambling in the past, but who knows if this decision changed his mind.

Sports gambling could be good for the Devils if everything works out. If the team finds a way to make more revenue, that means they can spend more on fan experiences. This could be a win-win, but a lot needs to work itself out before we get a final decision.

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