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New Jersey Fights for Legal Sports Betting

by RJ_Bell on 05/27/2008 11:09 AM

A New Jersey senator is pledging to fight federal restricts of legalized sports gambling. As reported by the Associated Press, Sen. Raymond Lesniak has asked Gov. Jon S. Corzine to file suit declaring the federal law an interstate commerce violation. "If it chooses not to take up this cause, I will file suit myself on behalf of plaintiffs with standing to challenge the federal law," said Sen. Lesniak (D-Union).

Senator Lesniak, a well-regarded attorney, spoke of discrimination against New Jersey, and also spoke about his state being treated like second class citizens. Federal law currently allows for sports betting in only four states (Nevada, Oregon, Delaware, Montana).

In another example of a strong growth trend toward legalized sports betting, the Delaware House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would allow betting on pro and college sports teams (Delaware schools exempted).

The emergence off slot parlors in New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware combined with the soft economy have hurt Atlantic Citys business. Revenues from April of this year were down 7.9% compared to 2007.

Many in the state of New Jersey believe that sports betting is the answer not just for the direct revenue generated, but also for the attraction to the casinos sports betting exerts. A player stopping by to bet a game is inclined to play poker, the tables, the machines, or maybe have a meal.

Linda Kassekert, chairwoman of New Jerseys Casino Control Commission, was non-committal on the issue, but was confident the commission could regulate sports betting if approved.

Publicly, the sports leagues are against legalization. The National Gaming Impact Study Commission estimated that over 380 billion dollars a year is bet on sports. Less than 1% of that number occurs legally in Nevada.

Clearly, the numbers prove beyond a doubt that sports betting is not controlled by criminalization; a fact that begs the question: Why not regulate and tax it? A question more and more politicians are asking publicly.

photo attribution

read more: Legalized Gambling, New Jersey, Politics

10 Comments:

	posted by Matty O'Shea on 05/27/2008 11:18 AM I don't think it will ever happen but would love to see it. Casinos in Connecticut are actually bigger than Atlantic City, so I'm surprised it hasn't been a bigger question there as well.
	posted by Johnny Detroit on 05/27/2008 11:22 AM This coupled with the attempt to have a study done on whether online gambling should be legalized and taxed is a step in the right direction.
	posted by Bostonsports4life on 05/27/2008 11:28 AM i don't see anythign wrong with sports betting. yes, there are always questions about games being fixed and all but most of the time, professional athletes have enough money and wouldn't do soemthing liek that for extra change. like the article said, theres a lot of money floating around out there, all going to the offshore books. why not regulate that (sports gambling) in the united states and keep the money in the Unite states? the US can then generate revenue from taxes to help out slumping economy? i think it's a great idea!
	posted by Marco D'Angelo on 05/27/2008 1:23 PM Good read RJ. There's no question that the addition of slots in the neighboring states has hurt new Jersey's revenue. The revenue lost alone to PA was huge. I know this first hand as I race horses in PA and the purses have increased at an insane rate from the slot revenue. My home track has had slot machines for just one year this June and the the Top purse has increased from $9,000 to $20,000 in just 12 months. West Virginia who has had slots for many years this past fall passed a bill to allow table games to help make up for their lost revenue to PA.
	posted by Chuck O'Luck on 05/27/2008 1:35 PM Mississippi's got a Vote on the Ballot this Fall (Presidential Election) for a State Lotto & Legalized Sports Betting at the Casinos in State.
	posted by thehitman on 05/27/2008 7:33 PM Obviously being from NJ, I'd love to be able to place a bet in person in AC. It definitely adds to the excitement, and would give a whole new glimmer to Atlantic City. Less and less people hit the casinos there because they can hit the slots in the new Philly casinos, and especially now that it'll cost $20 in gas and tolls for PA residents to drive out of state. It's still a longshot from what I hear, but they outlawed smoking in Jersey casinos, so anything's possible, right?
	posted by b m interstate on 05/29/2008 11:40 PM Pingback from b m interstate
	posted by OrionSky on 05/30/2008 12:26 AM We have always been fighting for this. Atlantic City is suffering and our race tracks are suffering. Why go to a Jersey track with small purses when you can just cross into the next state to play at a track with bigger purses and the ability to play the sports. Thank you Marco D'Angelo - you hit the spot!
	posted by intelsource on 05/30/2008 7:14 PM They shoulda done this ages ago. Instead they have lotteries so the degenerates can take their 1 in 800 million chance at a few million which they'll piss away in under a year anyway. All states should have legalized sportsbettting with internet accounts and phone accounts available 24/7. And different bookmakers (meaning diff lines) thru out all 50 states so it's a legit players market. Get on with it already.
	posted by sports jerseys on 06/24/2008 3:39 PM Pingback from sports jerseys