New Jersey sports awaits as lawmakers ready votes to make it legal

Measures to legalize sports betting are scheduled for debate Monday in both houses of the Legislature as lawmakers hope to approve a single bill for Gov. Phil Murphy to sign by the end of the week.

New Jersey is aiming to become the second state outside of Nevada to offer wagers on sports after it prevailed last month in its years-long legal battle to overturn a 1992 federal prohibition on sports wagering. Delaware, where officials decided existing law was sufficient to regulate the industry, is set to start taking bets Tuesday at three locations.

William Pascrell III, a lobbyist who represents the Monmouth Park racetrack and other clients that would benefit from sports betting, said New Jersey would be remiss not to act quickly.

“If we don’t get this done soon, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, which are all pushing to get this done soon, are going to eat our lunch,” Pascrell said last week. “Everyone’s going to be watching us on this issue.”

But there are significant regulatory issues to work out, and there’s no guarantee that Murphy, a Democrat, will agree with lawmakers’ approach. He will have 45 days to review any bill lawmakers send him and can use his veto power to ask for changes.

Among the outstanding questions surrounding sports betting in New Jersey:

• Will wagers be available on mobile and online platforms?
• Will dormant horse-racing tracks be able to offer sports books?
• And will casino owners that have ownership interests in pro sports teams be excluded from the action, which would affect the Borgata, Golden Nugget and Caesars casinos?

A Senate bill scheduled for debate in the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee at 1 p.m. Monday, S-2602, proposes one set of answers. An Assembly version also up for consideration Monday, A-4111, could differ, although the text has not yet been posted online.

The Senate measure permits sports betting by anyone 21 or older at casinos, active racetracks and former racetracks that have been active in the past 15 years. It also allows online and mobile wagers.

Gamblers would be able to place bets on all professional and college sports unless the college event takes place in New Jersey or involves New Jersey schools. Bets on high school sports would be prohibited.

The tax on in-person sports betting will be at least 8 percent, while the tax on online betting will be at least 15 percent, according to the bill.