Rep. Lemmons III offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 316

            A resolution to memorialize the United States Congress to repeal or amend the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 to permit major cities to allow regulated sports betting.

            Whereas, The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act limits sports betting to a small number of locations that had sports betting at the time the federal legislation was enacted. Las Vegas licensed sports pools are the most notable and most significant exception to the federal ban; and

            Whereas, Large metropolitan areas are being deprived of a lucrative source of revenue in the midst of tough economic times. We live in an era when our people have a variety of gaming opportunities through the Lottery, Indian casinos, commercial casinos, bingo, and charitable gaming. While it may have made some sense in 1992 to restrict legal sports betting, the proliferation of legal forms of gaming and the existence of illegal sports betting make the continued near monopoly of Las Vegas obsolete. Our major cities should have the opportunity to strengthen their fiscal integrity by using a method already legal but denied to the vast majority of our local governments; and

            Whereas, While sports betting is highly restricted in the United States, Michigan faces the unique lure of legal sports betting in our own neighborhood despite the federal ban. Windsor's casino now boasts legalized college and professional sports betting. The intent is to once again lure Michigan residents to Windsor to spend our hard-earned money. Michigan rose to the challenge of commercial gaming in Windsor by establishing our own casinos in Detroit in the last decade. Michigan can again compete with this new challenge if the federal government will allow a level playing field; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the United States Congress to repeal or amend the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 to permit major cities to allow regulated sports betting; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.