Tennessee House OKs sports betting bill

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN/AP) - - A Tennessee bill to allow sports betting has passed the House, a key hurdle in a state that has been historically hesitant to expand gambling.

Despite emotional appeals that it's dangerous and doesn't reflect family values, the House easily passed the bill by a 58-37 with two lawmakers declining to vote.

"We know the potential of this industry to create a lot of revenue for the State of Tennessee,"

said Nashville Democrat John Ray Clemmons.

Supporters say revenue from paying fees to make an online gambling bet in Tennessee instead of neighboring states where its legal could be as much as 200-million dollars yearly for state government, but opponents called it a "dangerous piece of legislation" preying on addiction.

"A lot of you in this room got elected on family values,"

said Republican Representative Andy Holt on the House floor.

"But while I don't want to pin anyone down this is not a family values bill."

For nearly an hour on the House floor, there were passionate words both for and against the online gambling bill.

"This is a bad bill,"

said Republican Rep. Jere Sexton.

"God help us if we pass it."

A counter-view came from a Republican West Tennessee lawmaker.

"This is going to just put a fence around it and regulate it,"

said Rep. Bill Sanderson.

The bill as written now would provide some dollars for those addicted to gambling.

The sports betting bill is like to be on the Senate floor next week after passing out of the chamber's finance committee Thursday afternoon.