Columnist Dean Juipe: Feds, NCAA do Nevada a disservice

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at [email protected] or 259-4084.

Prize fighters know it all too well: Once you've suffered your first loss, it becomes progressively easier to lose again and again.

Keep that imagery in mind for a moment while considering Nevada's opposition to still another attempt by Congress to ban lawful betting within the state on collegiate sporting events.

Nevada may not hold an undefeated record against the federal government, but it doesn't want to lose this fight and later see another potentially damaging domino -- such as banning wagers on all sports -- become an issue.

Hence, Nevada as well as its casino-backed lobbying arm, the Washington-based American Gaming Association, is digging in this week for what is anticipated to be a lengthy scuffle with the misguided good Samaritans in the U.S. House and Senate who have cast a blind eye toward states' rights. These self-righteous politicians -- including Las Vegas regular and presidential hopeful John McCain -- know what's best for you and they don't want you betting on college games.

As a result, Nevada -- where it's "Live free or die" -- is spending millions of dollars defending its rights against a Big Brother bent on increasing its already substantial influence over the common man.

But it's not going to be easy.

Congress has the NCAA on its side and a couple of high-profile coaches, Joe Paterno and Dean Smith, have signed on as lobbyists for the abolitionists' cause. With Nevada the only state offering legalized sports betting it faces what may be 49-1 odds against retaining the status quo.

Nevada's congressional reps are offering alternatives designed to slow the momentum of a just-introduced bill that has multiple sponsors. Harry Reid, for instance, suggests the feds first take a look at illegal gambling across the country before proceeding with a bill that targets Nevada's $2.3 billion sports-gaming industry.

Aside from the obvious -- that Congress must have better things to do -- consider the ramifications if the ban goes into effect. It seems there are at least three: bettors will place even more wagers with illegal bookies; off-shore betting parlors will reap significant dividends with greater betting action; and, to a lesser extent, sports bettors in Nevada will take what money they had been betting on college games and go stronger on the pros.

It makes you wonder what Congress feels will be gained, given that a ban on legalized collegiate-sports betting in Nevada would only increase illegal activities within the country and would ship additional U.S. currency outside its borders.

Is Congress so naive as to think a ban on collegiate-sports betting would actually achieve its goal? In fact, rather than eliminate sports gambling it will send it further underground.

Maybe this is only election-year posturing by politicians looking to enhance their squeaky-clean images and court favor with the NCAA, but a little realism seems in order. While the NCAA can have philosophic differences with legalized gambling it shouldn't extend that opposition beyond its front doors.

Congress, and the NCAA, should realize sports gaming is here to stay and Nevada's role in it is largely inconsequential in the big picture while being of some importance to us.

If the feds refuse to back off, Nevada has no choice but to defend its honor.

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