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18 Jan: Lesniak-Van Drew Bill To Implement Sports Wagering Signed Into Law

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Raymond J. Lesniak and Jeff Van Drew which will allow licensed casinos in Atlantic City and racetracks throughout the state to operate sports wagering pools on professional and collegiate sporting events was signed into law yesterday by the Governor.

“With the Governor’s signature, we’re now in a position to move forward with well-regulated sports betting in the Garden State,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union. “We’re moving ahead despite an unfair and arbitrary federal ban which gives four states an unfair advantage while giving a boost to sports books operated by organized crime and offshore operators everywhere else. Through this legislation, we can successfully challenge the federal ban on sports wagering, and get to work creating jobs and economic activity that will be the result of legal sports wagering in New Jersey.”

“I’ve worked on this legislation from the start, and I’m happy to say that the day is finally here where New Jerseyans get to decide for themselves on sports wagering,” said Senator Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic, who sponsored the sports wagering bill in the Assembly before working with Senator Lesniak in the Senate.. “The federal ban on sports wagering notwithstanding, with the Governor’s signature, Atlantic City’s casinos and New Jersey’s horse tracks will be able to collect more than a billion dollars in new, annual revenue as a result of legal sports wagering. We’ve fought long and hard to get to this point, and though the fight isn’t yet over and we still have to bring our case to the U.S. Supreme Court, I think we’ll soon see the promise realized of sports wagering for the Garden State.”

09 Jan: Lesniak-Van Drew Bill To Implement Sports Wagering Approved

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Raymond J. Lesniak and Jeff Van Drew which would allow licensed casinos in Atlantic City and racetracks throughout the state to operate sports wagering pools on professional and collegiate sporting events was approved today by the Senate by a vote of 35-2, with final approval pending later today in the Assembly.

“Today’s legislative action represents the latest step in ensuring that the will of the people of New Jersey is expressed, and that we’re not going to sit back while Las Vegas and other gaming jurisdictions get all the benefits of an unfair and arbitrary ban on sports betting,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union. “This bill would correct a decades old mistake, and would allow New Jersey to begin implementing sports wagering operations which would create new jobs, incentivize new economic activity in a recovering gaming sector, and create new tax revenues for the State. It would also position us to topple an unfair federal ban on sports wagering which is costing our State while boosting the gaming economy in Las Vegas, where sports wagering is exempt from the ban.”

“After years of working to legalize sports wagering – moving it through one house only to have it stall in the other – it’s rewarding to see the finish line finally within reach,” said Senator Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic, who sponsored the sports wagering bill in the Assembly before working with Senator Lesniak in the Senate. “Sports wagering has transformational potential for Atlantic city’s casinos and New Jersey’s horse tracks, and will help make New Jersey the premiere gaming destination on the East Coast. I’m proud to have worked on this legislation every step of the way, and I’m looking forward to sports wagering finally being the law of the land in the Garden State.”

01 Dec: Lesniak/Van Drew Bill To Implement Sports Wagering Advances

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Raymond J. Lesniak and Jeff Van Drew that would allow licensed casinos in Atlantic City and racetracks throughout the state to operate sports wagering pools on professional and collegiate sporting or athletic events was approved today by the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee.

Club CalNeva, a Las Vegas based company which operates over 30 sports books and handles billions of dollars of bets, estimates that sports betting will bring in $1.3 billion in sports wagering gross revenues and $120 million in tax revenues for New Jersey. It is also estimated that sports wagering could create thousands of new jobs for New Jersey residents.

“These revenues are now going to Las Vegas, off shore internet gambling sites and organized crime-run betting rings. Our goal is to give our residents the same right to do legally in New Jersey what they can to in Nevada and bring these revenues into the state to boost our ailing casino and racing industry and create jobs and additional state revenues as well,” said Senator Lesniak (D-Union). “Newspapers routinely print the line on sports events. On Wednesday, odds makers were already setting the Miami Heat as a 9-to-4 favorite to win the NBA title even before the season has begun. The Nets are 75-to-1 to win the title and 50-to-1 to win the East. Do Congress and professional sports associations expect us to believe these odds are published so New Jersey betters can hop on a plane to Vegas to place their bets legally?”

“Legalized sports betting is key to Atlantic City maintaining its competitive edge and to ensuring future economic success of the resort city,” said Senator Van Drew (D-Cape May/Atlantic/Cumberland). “During major sporting events such as Superbowl Sunday or the Final Four, Las Vegas hotels are at 100 percent capacity, restaurants are full and shops are overflowing with customers. At the same time, Atlantic City is a ghost town. It makes no sense for New Jersey, home to one of the nation’s top gaming destinations, to be locked out of this sector of the industry while other states turn a profit and use it to fund important programs for their residents. Especially in this tough economy, New Jersey should be doing all it can to tap into this market.”

Senator Sandra Cunningham listens to testimony during the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee hearing.

11 Jan: Senate Sends Cunningham Job Training Measure To Governor To Be Signed

TRENTON – By a vote of 28 to 7, the full Senate today granted final legislative approval to a bill sponsored by Senator Sandra B. Cunningham that would streamline the funding process for basic skills training to help displaced and disadvantaged workers learn the skills they need to successfully return to the workforce.

“Successful job training programs are key to helping our residents survive this current economic downturn,” said Sen. Cunningham (D-Hudson). “Our community colleges have done a great job of administering this highly sought after program. By cutting out some of the red tape we can help accelerate the delivery of these training services to those who need it most.”