U.S. Supreme Court Lifts Ban to Allow Sports Betting On Monday, the Supreme Court struck down the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PAPSA), which prohibited states from sports betting. Backed by 25 other states, New Jersey won the landmark ruling after Gov. Chris Christie and other lawmakers argued the decision was unconstitutional. “Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects not to do so, each State is free to act on its own.” “"Our job is to interpret the law Congress has enacted and decide whether it is consistent with the Constitution. PASPA is not.” In 2012, the NCAA and four major professional sports leagues sued New Jersey after it passed a law allowing sports betting, directly violating PAPSA. The state then tried to pass another sports betting law in line with PAPSA guidelines, and the courts decided to hear oral arguments last December. Until recently, Nevada was the only state to allow a person to gamble on the outcome of a single game.