---
type: "LegalText"
title: "28 U.S.C. § 3702"
description: "Unlawful sports gambling"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 28
title_name: "JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE"
chapter_number: "178"
chapter_name: "PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR SPORTS PROTECTION"
section: "3702"
citation: "28 U.S.C. § 3702"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc28@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t28/s3702"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-28/usc28.xml"
source_hash: "ad13420b5f4b7ae50665fefc91edd56124c87a3271854ea043918acc7d318870"
raw_snapshot_hash: "3390f867a2c02f5d0c496269da780795fe19663a090a3040c64a9ee0a541cdcf"
text_hash: "1c3f6783004053622cc8bb3d4d5f9fc4b6b00e6080c647e3b63196f87174076b"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 28 U.S.C. § 3702 - Unlawful sports gambling

## Text

It shall be unlawful for—

(1) a governmental entity to sponsor, operate, advertise, promote, license, or authorize by law or compact, or

(2) a person to sponsor, operate, advertise, or promote, pursuant to the law or compact of a governmental entity,

a lottery, sweepstakes, or other betting, gambling, or wagering scheme based, directly or indirectly (through the use of geographical references or otherwise), on one or more competitive games in which amateur or professional athletes participate, or are intended to participate, or on one or more performances of such athletes in such games.

(Added Pub. L. 102–559, § 2(a), Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 4228.)

## Notes

Editorial Notes

ConstitutionalityFor information regarding constitutionality of par. (1) of this section, as added by section 2(a) of Pub. L. 102–559, see note under section 3701 of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective DateSection effective Jan. 1, 1993, see section 3 of Pub. L. 102–559, set out as a note under section 3701 of this title.