Colorado The Latest US State to Want Legalized Sports Betting: Success With Pot

Colorado’s biggest bookie made millions.  His high profile bust has lawmakers insisting that sports betting in the state should be legalized. 

And no state should know better the potential for industries on the fringe.  Colorado, after all, has witnessed a massive windfall following its legalization of marijuana only a year ago.

One Nevada betting company called Monday’s football championship the most heavily bet on college game ever, and that was just the legal wagers, according to CBS Denver.

Kerwin Sande ran a multi-million dollar gambling operation from plush country clubs, not just in Colorado but in three other states.  That is landing him a brief stint in a federal prison.

“Government and society condones gambling, but in this situation they have chosen to place Mr. Sande in prison for doing something that society has condoned,” Sande’s attorney Kerwin Savitz said.

Sports agent Peter Schaffer told CBS Denver betting on games is an enormous, illicit business.

“Organized crime runs sports betting now. They are probably the biggest lobby. I am probably going to get my legs cut out from me for saying this,” Schaffer said.

- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com