Yesterday state lawmakers in New Jersey gathered to discuss a sports betting measure that would allow for the state to offer the option. State Senator Raymond Lesniak created the bill that was introduced, carving out a partial repeal on the prohibition of sports betting in the state. The Senate voted to pass the measure and now the state is one step further to offering sports betting options.
The effort to see sports betting take place in New Jersey has been a long one, for many years the subject has been on the table but never been a go. This push now helps but the measure must continue on to the Assembly where a vote will take place supposedly this Thursday.
Of the new measure, Lesniak stated that Atlantic City is ‘hemorrhaging’ and the racetracks are ‘bleeding’ and they both need the boosts in revenue that the legislation will be able to provide. In support of the effort, CBS Philly reported that an adviser for the Monmouth Park Racetrack, Dennis Drazin, stated that people are betting with local bookies, except for in Vegas. It is not a comfortable environment for gamblers and this would give the public the confidence and ability to place sports wagers in a legal environment.
The vote for the new measure comes at the same time that State Governor Chris Christie is battling with the NCAA and professional sports leagues. Both do not want to see the option offered in the state while Christie is trying to show that the city needs the assistance with the additional gambling component.
The fight for sports betting goes back as far as 2011, when a referendum was passed to allow sports betting and in 2012 the measure was passed into law for sports betting.However the NCAA and pro sports leagues sued and this brought down the new measure. US District Judge Michael Shipp was presiding and decided that the 1992 federal law that limits sports betting to just four states in the US was constitution. This stopped NJ from offering sports betting. An appeal was filed with the US Supreme Court, but the court did not hear the case.
The process began again this year when Christie vetoed another bill to try and repeal the prohibitions in the state against the option but then ordered the state Attorney General to not prosecute casinos or racetracks if they offer sports betting services that were unregulated by the state. Shipp has been supposed to weigh in on the subject, but has postponed his statements until the 31st of October.
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