Raiders Move to Vegas Looks Good

The Oakland Raiders are expecting a vote on their attempted move to Las Vegas to happen Monday. League sources believe it will happen in the mid to late afternoon and the Raiders are expected to receive approval. There has been discussion of a celebration to be held in UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center, but it’s looking like that may not happen after all. Las Vegas officials don’t want to be seen as unsympathetic to Raiders fans in Oakland.

Oakland’s last-ditch attempts to keep the Raiders have done nothing, nor presented anything new. It appears to be posturing by city officials who don’t want to be seen as doing nothing while their team leaves. But Roger Goodell’s response to Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf pretty much means it’s over for Oakland.

“Despite all of these efforts, ours and yours, we have not yet identified a viable solution,” Goodell wrote. “It is disappointing to me and our clubs to have come to that conclusion.”

Sportsbooks in Nevada are obviously very interested in what the NFL will do. Will they ask the Nevada Gaming Commission not to allow bets on Raider games? If they do, it will be all games, both home and away. Despite the league’s public anti-betting stance, they aren’t stupid. They realize the ability to bet on the ‘home team’ will be one added attraction of having the Raiders. If the league does not make a request, does that mean the NFL is ready to join the other leagues in seeking regulated sports betting? Time will tell on that possibility, but it has to be seen as a step in the right direction.

If the league asks for no wagering on Raider games, does that hurt momentum built for legalized betting? Possibly and that would be a move in the wrong direction.