Roger Goodell has long maintained a public opposition to legalized sports betting, but is making adjustments in the wake of last week’s historic Supreme Court ruling.
We have spent considerable time planning for the potential of broadly legalized sports gambling and are prepared to address these changes in a thoughtful and comprehensive way, including substantial education and compliance trainings for our clubs, players, employees and partners. These efforts include supporting commonsense legislation that protects our players, coaches and fans and maintains public confidence in our games. We are asking Congress to enact uniform standards for states that choose to legalize sports betting that include, at a minimum, four core principles:
Last Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that a federal ban on state-sanctioned sports betting is unconstitutional, opening the door for legalized gambling nationwide.
Statements from the NCAA, NBA, NHL and MLB have been released in recent days since the decision was announced, all stressing the need to quickly devise a plan in order to protect their respective sports.
Drawing the NFC West on top of the AFC West will keep the travel manageable, with the exception of the Raiders “hosting” the Seahawks in London on Oct. 14. Here’s a look at all the Raiders’ games in 2018 and how well they are positioned to navigate through a overall weak slate.
Toughest tests: The Raiders were terrible on the road last season, going only 2-6 after they went to the playoffs with a 6-2 mark the season prior. They’ve got to get back to grinding for Gruden and winning close games away from the Black Hole. Opponent-wise, the Rams and Steelers plus their difficult AFC West foes make the home schedule more daunting in what could be the final season in Oakland. Denver, Kansas City and Los Angeles round out what’s arguably the league’s best division.
Biggest breaks: The Browns and Colts look like they would be breaks, but really, the most favorable matchups are on the road against the Cardinals, Bengals and Dolphins. Those five games are critical for the Raiders to return to the playoffs.