NJ horse racing advocate urges casinos to support online gaming expansion

And he says the Casino Association of New Jersey should rethink its opposition to a bill that would let Monmouth Park Racetrack and Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment partner with existing casino operators to create areas inside the racetracks that offer online gambling.

Dennis Drazin, adviser to horsemen’s association and Darby Development, the operator of Monmouth Park, said the plan would benefit both the casino and horse-racing industry.

“To me their position is foolish. The plan gives the casino the right to be part of it,” Drazin said. He said he may file a lawsuit alleging that online gambling in the state is unconstitutional.

In a statement Tuesday, the Casino Association claimed the proposal goes against the will of the people, who a little more than a month ago voted overwhelmingly to reject a plan to expand gambling beyond Atlantic City.

The association did not respond to emails seeking comment on Drazin’s statement.

Since it started in late 2013, online gaming has helped prop up a struggling brick-and-mortar casino industry. In 2015, online gaming generated more than $2.5 billion in revenue.

“It seems to have been a positive to the bottom line for the various casino operations in A.C., although its initial run from the starting gate was definitely over-hyped in certain sectors,” Bob Ambrose, instructor of hospitality and gaming at Drexel University, said about online gambling. “Now that it has shown to be a reliable part of the technology in the gaming infrastructure in New Jersey, it may be viewed by some as a way to piggyback the model and have it available at racetracks.”

The internet cafes, as they are called, would increase revenue for the state’s struggling horse-racing industry while letting casinos show off internet gambling operations, plan supporters said. Under the plan, the tracks would lease space to casino operators for online gambling.