Leagues strike out in quest for cut of West Virginia’s sports betting

West Virginia gaming regulators have officially broken up Gov. Jim Justice’s Hail Mary attempt to ensure pro sports leagues get a cut of the state’s sports betting cash.

On Wednesday, the West Virginia Lottery Commission approved its final sports betting regulations, rejecting efforts by Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and the PGA Tour to carve out their own slice of the state’s sports betting revenue.

West Virginia, which launched its legal wagering market in August, was viewed as the leagues’ best shot at claiming an ‘integrity fee’ via a percentage of betting handle, the mandated use of league-supplied data (at a price) for determining wagering outcomes, or both.

The leagues’ optimism stemmed from Gov. Justice’s apparent commitment to giving in to the leagues’ shakedown, presumably because Justice owns the state’s Greenbrier Resort, which hosts a PGA Tour event each year.