Sports betting bill in New Jersey receives approval from NJ Senate

The Garden State of New Jersey has approved a new bill that will bring peace to the sports betting industry. After many years battling against both federal government and other gambling monopolies in the United States, the sports betting market in New Jersey could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. The bill is basically a part of this new NJ’s legislation that has included the online gambling market along with many other sports betting activities. The bill still needs to be approved by the Assembly before it finishes in the State Governor’s hands, Chris Christie. The voting, 27  - 1, has finally proven to many that the online gambling and betting industry has no limits and, as any other industry, needs of a market frame to work properly; this frame is being created by a NJ’s group of intelligent lawmakers who, with a comprehensive legislation, an all-inclusive regulation. But lawmakers have been only able to pass the bill to allow casinos and racetracks to offer sports betting services only in the state of New Jersey. Needless to say that this new bill is going to bring more wealth into New Jersey’s casinos and racetracks since they both will be able to offer sports wagering services. The new bill has worked out the way to clash with the federal government as 1992’s Federal Law confine the sports betting services to events celebrated outsider of the state.

NJ’s state governor Chris Christie is not too happy with the online gambling and sports betting industry as earlier this year he himself banned a bill to revoke a veto on sports betting. He has been playing with both sides of the market; earlier this year against any online sports betting activity and, not too long ago, against any possible online gambling market. However, Governor Christie revealed last month that NJ’s State Attorney General Office will not act against any casino or racetrack that is currently offering sports wagering services. But it has been, once again, the Democratic Party the one to bring some common sense to the Garden State’s gambling industry.

Back in 2011, New Jersey started a legal battle against the administration when NJ’s voters approved in a non-binding referendum all regulated sports gambling operations. A new sports-wagering bill was signed by Governor Christie becoming NJ’s law in 2012. But both, the major professional sports league along with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), took the case to court where US District Judge Michael Shipp ruled in favor of the federal law limiting sports wagering in Nevada and three other states. US District Judge Michael Shipp wanted to go farther by eradicating any possibility so he came out with a new ban to prevent New Jersey, once and for all, from putting the law into operation.

Now, Judge Shipp, who is avoiding the press and therefore his opinion about NJ’s sports wagering bill, has decided to delay the hearing until the end of this month, October 31. Democratic state Senator Raymond Lesniak has been the author of the sports wagering bill in New Jersey and one of the gambling market’s advocates: “It will help boost business in the state’s struggling gambling market. Atlantic City is hemorrhaging and our racetracks are bleeding and they need the boost in revenues that this legislation will provide”.