Is Sports Betting Legal in NJ

Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak/Sports betting fight must continue

Is Sports Betting Legal in NJ? Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak talks on how his fight to bring Sports Betting to NJ must continue.

The fight to introduce sporting activities wagering to New Jersey has been long and challenging, with obstacles and sturdy resistance, largely from the well-financed and highly effective initiatives of the professional sports organizations, the NCAA and online casino drivers in various other states who have an interest in maintaining the status quo.

We have actually run into troubles in the courts, political opposition and the army of lobbyists utilized by those who do not want to permit New Jersey to establish a sports wagering industry that is profitable to the gaming market already in position in Atlantic City and at our racetracks.

Some have been prevented by the protracted initiative and some have actually given up the fight. I haven't.

I remain to seek just what some now consider a “Quixotic quest” to make sports wagering legal in New Jersey given that I believe we need to have the lawful right and since it will certainly benefit those having a hard time through gambling enterprises, great for Atlantic City's future and great for New Jersey's economic situation.

It will introduce more trade and financial activity.

Assessing the financial tasks that border several of our largest sporting occasions provides proof of the perks that might be attracted to Atlantic City.

The Super Bowl, the Final Four as well as World Cup soccer generate a degree of follower passion and sports betting that can be a game-changer for Atlantic City.

Throughout these sporting occasions, you can not acquire an area in a Las Vegas hotel where sporting activities wagering is allowed, but Atlantic City is a ghost community.

This is a $500 billion-a-year industry, yet the cash is visiting Nevada, to overseas betting sites and to arranged criminal activity. Sports wagering is going on, yet it isn't really sanctioned in New Jersey and the earnings are going in other places.

Legalizing sports gambling recognizes the inevitable – that individuals are betting on sporting activities, whether the method is lawful or otherwise, and that we should give a safe and legal method for them to bet on their preferred sports.

By mainstreaming sports wagering, we could take the power from arranged criminal activity and offshore Web operators, and put it in the managed hands of an already existing gambling enterprise and racetrack operators.

To produce new jobs and brand-new economic possibilities for our ailing gaming facilities.

Anyway, we must not surrender. Monmouth Racetrack is prepared and will begin taking sporting activities bets in September at the start of the NFL season if Gov. Chris Christie indicators my regulations.

State Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak is a Democrat standing for the 20th Legislative District in Union County.

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