New Jersey would allow intra-state sportsbetting

Sponsored by New Jersey State Senators Raymond Lesniak and Jeff Van Drew, the legislation would permit the New Jersey Casino Control Commission to issue licenses to casinos and racetracks, allowing them to accept wagers from punters resident in the state on some professional and collegiate events.

The proposed legislation was approved in the Senate by a vote of 35 to two while the measure sailed through the General Assembly with 73 of the body’s 80 members voting in its favour.

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

Following the passage of his proposed legislation, Lesniak earlier declared that he plans to re-file his federal lawsuit after consulting with the Attorney General’s Office and subsequently stated that he expects a ‘year-long’ court battle before the issue will be resolved.

“You have to be realistic,” State Senator Jim Whelan said after the proposed legislation cleared the Senate on Monday. “It's not going to have the impact that it would have had had we been able to get it passed 20 years ago when it was first proposed.”

“These votes by both houses of the legislature and the voters of New Jersey mark the beginning of the end of the inequitable Federal ban on sportsbetting,” said Lesniak. “This time next year our residents won't have to fly to Las Vegas or visit their local bookie to bet on the Giants, Jets or Eagles to win the Super Bowl. They will be able to go to an Atlantic City casino, Monmouth Racetrack or The Meadowlands.

“I guarantee a victory in the federal courts for New Jersey to be able to enjoy the same benefits from sports betting Congress has given to Nevada.”

Owing to a brief experiment with parlay sportsbetting in 1976, only residents of Oregon, Montana, Delaware and Nevada are currently permitted to engage in intra-state sportsbetting while casinos in Atlantic City have welcomed the passage of the proposed legislation, saying that it could help them compete with venues in other states by offering one more attraction to customers.

“If and when the federal ban is overturned, this law would permit casinos to accept wagers on sporting events, adding another amenity to enhance our ability to compete and grow as a destination resort,” read a statement from the Casino Association of New Jersey, a trade group that represents the gaming industry in the seaside resort.

“Legalised sportsbetting would provide an economic boost for Atlantic City and the entire state of New Jersey as it would attract more tourists to our city and its world-class entertainment, thriving restaurants, brand-name retail shopping and world-famous Boardwalk.”

In order to improve the odds that Christie will subsequently sign the bill into law, Lesniak and Van Drew had earlier dropped provisions from their proposed legislation that would have permitted residents to place wagers using their home computer or mobile phone.

“We don’t need any delays on this,” Lesniak told The Associated Press at the time. “I am willing to not include it in the bill only because I want to get into court as soon as possible to have the federal law declared unconstitutional.”

The Senate and General Assembly also approved proposed legislation that would require the holders of sportsbetting permits that have not yet constructed off-track parlours to do so within a year or forfeit a bond of one million dollars and lose the right to build such a facility in the future.

In addition, both houses also approved legislation that could see the New Jersey Casino Control Commission land-based casino regulator reduced from five members to three. It is anticipated that the Republican Governor will sign this measure into law as he has left vacant two spots with the authority that have recently become available.