Friday, May 18, 2018
6
THE VIEW FROM HERE
The Sports Betting Decision BY BOB MORGAN, JR. The decision of the United States Supreme Court to overturn the 1992 federal law that outlawed almost all sports betting outside Nevada will have numerous ramifications, good and bad. As a legal matter, the decision makes considerable sense. In its efforts to shield full scale sports betting in Nevada, the 1992 law prohibited sports wagering to be authorized by any state that did not allow it after a grandfather period. But, as Justice Samuel Alito wrote in his majority opinion, while Congress could choose to impose a nationwide sports betting ban, the 1992 law ran afoul of our federal system and in effect unconstitutionally allowed Congress to commandeer a state legislature. “It is as if federal officers were installed in state legislative chambers and were armed with the authority to stop legislators from voting on any offending proposals,” Justice Alito said. “A more direct affront to state sovereignty is not easy to imagine.” In many ways. the decision strikes a blow for personal freedom and common sense. Until now, I could legally bet in New York on the lottery, the horses or play slots or table games at a number of casinos around the state. However, even though point spreads are published in the newspapers, it has been at least technically illegal to wager on sports, and doing so in the Empire State (I don’t) would require involvement with sketchy bookies or offshore gambling sites. I just think that as a man of all too mature years, I shouldn’t be legally prohibited from throwing a few dollars on the team of my choice. Sports betting has been legal in Britain and Ireland for decades without great harm. In addition, of course, plenty of people are already willing to put up with illegal bookies and offshore sites, and legalizing and taxing these wagers makes good policy and economic sense. I also am not particularly persuaded that, at least concerning major league sports, legalizing gambling is likely to raise new issues of games being fixed. There is already
plenty of illegal gambling on games. In Britain, where there are actually betting kiosks in football (soccer) stadiums, the Premier League has not come under suspicion. The most significant issues that have arisen have involved relatively minor events like early round tennis matches. The decision will obviously be a game changer (no pun intended) in a number of respects. Assuming that sports betting is permitted at most casinos and racetracks around the country, this will likely revitalize a number of these locales and will probably increase the interest of many people in spectator sports. Of course, there are many uncertainties like how much online (incuding inplay) wagering will take hold and whether this will inhibit in-person attendance at tracks and casinos and how much all this will affect Las Vegas, which already seems to be diversifying its appeal to include many more nongambling attractions. Let me be clear. Legalized sports gambling is not an unmitigated good thing. A percentage of the population wagers far too much. These individuals get caught up in a gambling addiction that is bad for the individual involved and for the person’s family. A desperate desire to cover betting obligations or recoup losses can lead to neglect of personal obligations, failure to pay other debts or even to criminal activity. Of course, an individual seeking to place a bet can always find an illegal online or in-person bookmaker, but the legalization of these activities arguably provides more opportunity to wager coupled with an extra sheen of legitimacy and respectability. At some point, however, as we found out with the attempt to impose liquor prohibition, it is pretty much impossible to outlaw an activity that many people enjoy and regard as pretty harmless, even one with potential harmful side effects. Attempts to do so simply play in to the hands of criminal elements. And so, on balance, the effect of the Supreme Court decision is likely to be positive.
Free Narcan opioid antidote training for the community NYU Winthrop Hospital is offering a free training session for administering the lifesaving antidote Narcan™ on Friday, June 1st, 2018, from 6 to 8PM. It will be held at the NYU Winthrop Research and Academic Center, Room G-018A, at 101 Mineola Blvd., located at the corner of Second Street in Mineola. The session is open to the community; no professional medical experience is required. Free kits are available to those who pre-register. Narcan™ (naloxone) is an opiate antidote, for opioids such as heroin and prescription pain pills like morphine, codeine and oxycodone. It is a prescription medicine that blocks the effects of opioids and reverses an overdose. Trained individuals are allowed to possess and administer Narcan™ to a person having an overdose. Research has shown that with basic training, non-medical professionals such as friends, family members, or concerned
bystanders can administer the lifesaving antidote. David Neubert, MD, Board Certified Emergency physician at NYU Winthrop, will provide the training; registered nurses will assist with the instruction. Dr. Neubert will also offer a brief overview of the opioid crisis and Narcan. The program will begin promptly at 6PM; registration begins at 5:30PM. Parking is available at the 120 Mineola Blvd. garage, entrance on First Street. Please drive to the third level of the garage and enter the 120 building via the walkway. Take the elevator down to the first floor, exit the building, and cross the street to the Research & Academic Center. Metered parking is also available in the commuter lot, on the corner of First St. & Third Avenue. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. To register, please email LSheehan@nyuwinthrop.org. For more information, please call 516-663-8699.
Town Beach stickers on sale
Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino today announced that the early sale of seasonal beach stickers will begin on Saturday, May 12th. Starting that day, Town residents can purchase their beach stickers at certain locations ahead of time to avoid the rush during the Memorial Day weekend when some Town of Oyster Bay beaches officially open for weekends. Supervisor Saladino stated, “The summer season is nearly upon us, and many residents are eagerly looking forward to Memorial Day weekend for the first opportunity to enjoy a sun-filled fun day at our beaches. By purchasing a beach sticker in advance, residents can avoid the inevitable lines that often accompany the start of the beach season and spend more time with their feet in the sand instead.” Beach stickers will be on sale daily, beginning May 12th, at TOBAY Beach, John J. Burns Town Park in Massapequa and Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park and Beach in Oyster Bay, from 10AM until 2PM. To purchase a resident beach sticker for your
vehicle, residents must present their vehicle registration and bring the vehicle they plan to drive to the beach since stickers are placed on the vehicle at the time of purchase. Only residents may purchase beach stickers for Town of Oyster Bay Beaches. Seasonal stickers are $60, and they pay for themselves following three visits. Residents aged 60+ qualify for a Senior Beach ID at the Town Clerk’s Office for a one-time fee of $32. Additionally, volunteer firefighters, U.S. Coast Guard members, Armed Forces service members, and veterans all qualify for seasonal beach passes at reduced rates. TOBAY, Centre Island, Philip B. Healey at Florence Avenue and Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Beaches will open for weekends only beginning Saturday, May 26th. All Town of Oyster Bay beaches will open seven days a week beginning on Saturday, June 23rd. For more information, contact the Beach Division of the Town of Oyster Bay Parks Department at 797-4111 or visit www.oysterbaytown.com.
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