STATESIDE everettovrk/Adobe Stock A coin toss determines who gets first possession. KC


won the toss so Buffalo had to defend the field. KC scored a touchdown on the first drive and that was it… game over. Buffalo had ZERO chance to have a turn, possibly tie the game and continue. The Buffalo players, and their fans in attendance,


looked stunned at this one-sided Kansas City victory. Talk about unequal opportunity. I was again screaming at the television set. What kind of logic is that, relying on “heads” or “tails” to determine such a crucial outcome? Can you imagine your own life situations where you


didn’t get your turn? Want your day in court? Forget it if the verdict comes from only one version of the story. Ever debated anything? How would you feel if the first guy/gal advocating a position immediately won? This was just so egregious. If the National Football League (NFL) wants to continue enjoying record sports betting numbers, they must fix this situation by next season. For me, the highly-paid NFL top brass focuses too much on marketing, sales and political correctness instead of these fundamental elements. I’m not a sports gambler and would definitely think


twice if these arbitrary conditions continue. How many people feel the same, which puts sports betting at risk. I predicted a public response, but it even surpassed my


expectations. National commentary and concern bombarded social media sites. In the 21st century, most people will discuss and debate an issue, even if it becomes vocal and contentious. In earlier days, powerful business figures and politicians made decisions, often without public consultation. Now, advanced communication makes it virtually impossible to hide anything or stifle public discourse for long. Take online gaming and the later 2018 legalization of


sports betting. In New Jersey, among other states, informed voters often drove their acceptance after a decades-long uphill battle. Even states seeking traditional land-based casinos needed public support. Online gaming emerged with increased mass Internet usage in the 1990s. My first exposure to it came in late 1997 when I attended an online gaming conference in Washington D.C. The audience included FBI and national security people. Even some questionable offshore operators, who later faced criminal charges, were there. The irony is that one generation’s scourge often becomes an acceptable everyday activity. Only 20 years later, legalizing and regulating Internet gaming and sports betting went from a possibility to a done deal. Today, the number of states operating online programs has increased and few people even think about it. Not so 80 years ago during different times with


different societal norms. Take the innocuous pinball machine. When my dad returned to Philadelphia after WWII in 1945, he bought a used pinball game to launch our family’s amusement company. Next came the Pennyland arcade in 1946. Stan had few competitors and was more ambitious than most. One machine became 10, which became 20


and many more over almost 50 years. Lucky that my family lived in Philadelphia and not


New York City, where Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, the airport’s namesake, banned pinball in 1942. He argued its new flipper technology promoted juvenile delinquency, crime and immoral behavior. Never ignoring a photo op, La Guardia regularly joined police on raids to destroy machines. Big cities like Milwaukee, Chicago, New Orleans and Los Angeles followed suit, but not Philly. How unfair that a few determined the possible business and economic future of so many. Life was pretty good for the Harris family. Pinball helped my dad build a substantial business. La Guardia died in 1947, but it took until 1976 for New York City officials to finally wise up to realize pinball required skill. They ended the ban. Nationwide, new gaming legislation is under consideration for passage. Ohio will launch its college and professional sports betting program next January. Georgia also now has pending legislation. The public is more involved than ever, which ultimately mitigates controversy. Of 42 states allowing casinos, most require customers to be 21. Ten – often affiliated with tribal operations – have age minimums of 18, but individual casinos may place their own age restrictions at 21. As the public accepts the rules of the game, they also


expect accountability. Underage gambling prosecutions are up and parents are often held responsible. I agree with that, but if average people must answer for mistakes, then so must people at the top. PS: On the final playoff game, another tie, Kansas


City again won the toss and quickly bungled a pass The Cincinnati Bengals intercepted, went downfield to score and win the game and the championship. They are heading to the Super Bowl. Just another irony.


FEBRUARY 2022 9


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