Supreme Court rules that states can allow betting on sports

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The Supreme Court struck down a federal law prohibiting states from allowing sports betting Monday, siding with the state of New Jersey in Murphy v. NCAA and reversing a ruling from the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Liberal justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor were the only dissenters.

"The legalization of sports gambling is a controversial subject," the opinion reads. "Supporters argue that legalization will produce revenue for the states and critically weaken illegal sports betting operations, which are often run by organized crime. Opponents contend that legalizing sports gambling will hook the young on gambling, encourage people of modest means to squander their savings and earnings, and corrupt professional and college sports."

The justices determined that the legalization of sports gambling "requires an important policy choice, but the choice is not ours to make." New Jersey argued the case in part to revitalize Atlantic City, where it wants to allow wagers at casinos or racetracks, the Washington Examiner reports.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.