New Jersey a step closer to legalizing sports betting

The proposed legislation, which would also allow residents in the Garden State to place bets online, is the latest step in a long process to approve sportsbetting that saw voters overwhelmingly pass a non-binding referendum on November 8 to permit the activity at casinos, racetracks and former racetrack sites.

However, even if the proposed measure is subsequently approved and signed by the governor, New Jersey will still have to win a court case in order to overturn 1992’s federal Professional and Amateur Sports Promotion Act (PASPA) before sportsbetting would be legalised.

New Jersey failed in a previous attempt to overturn PASPA after a federal judge dismissed a suit filed by State Senators Raymond Lesniak and Stephen Sweeney on the grounds that the state, through the Attorney General’s Office, should have brought the suit.

“We get this bill on the governor’s desk,” Lesniak told NJ.com, “He signs it. The Attorney General goes into court and says this ban is unconstitutional.”

Lesniak stated that illegal sportsbetting is already widespread in the state and noted that newspapers already regularly publish games’ odds. “Do Congress and professional sports associations expect us to believe that these odds are published so New Jersey bettors can hop on a plane to place their bets legally,” said the Democrat. “I don’t think so.”