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.”