Background
The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was enacted in 1992 and prohibits any state from initiating new forms of sports betting. Nevada, Delaware and Oregon were exempt since they offered forms of such wagering then. New Jersey was given two years, until 1994, to institute sports betting before the opportunity closed for that state. Pari-mutuel racing was exempted from the prohibitions on sports betting when the law was passed and still is.