By Matt Rosenfeld
Late Friday afternoon, Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey signed a bill that would allow racetracks and casinos in the state to host sports gambling. Starting Sunday, Oct. 26, at Monmouth Park Racetrack, we could see a change in America when it comes to sports gambling.
That is a change I believe we should embrace.
Essentially, federal law prevents all states except Nevada, Delaware, Oregon and Montana from offering sports wagering. Only Nevada is allowed to offer single-game sports wagers. However, New Jersey state officials found a loophole in federal law. The law technically does not ban sports betting itself. Rather, it prevents states from setting up and sponsoring sports-betting regimens.
New Jersey lawmakers, who have been trying to legalize sports gambling in the state for almost four years, have said in their new bill that they will repeal the ban on sports gambling in racetracks and casinos. There is no federal law against sports gambling in those establishments, and they will not be violating the already existing law. The gambling will not be run by the state, but rather by the companies that own such establishments.
Both professional and amateur have filed for an injunction to prevent the books from opening on Sunday at Monmouth Park. The leagues, which include the NFL, MLB and NCAA to name a few, argue that what New Jersey is doing is “in clear and flagrant violation to the federal law.”
In order to get gambling to stop, the leagues must prove that sports betting would cause irreparable damage. Except, how could they prove the gambling would cause damage to their operations when the exact same thing occurs in Las Vegas and has for years now? Let’s be honest, leagues just want a piece of the pie, and if the gambling is not federally sanctioned, they will have to fight for their piece in court rather than have it handed to them.
I am from New Jersey, and I know firsthand how badly the state and Atlantic City specifically could use sports gambling to become relevant again.
Governor Christie vetoed what was essentially the same bill earlier in the year, saying he would not support a bill that tries to circumvent a federal law. His turnaround on the issue occurred when he realized just how much sports gambling would help his state, casinos and hotels are closing due to lack of customers.
Giving New Jersey the ability to offer sports gambling, even through a loophole in a federal law, will help revive Atlantic City and make it a location to be. People will visit the Garden State for major sporting events like the Super Bowl and the NCAA Basketball Tournament.
I am hopeful that the leagues fail in their appeal and sports gambling is here to stay in New Jersey. If nothing else, it will be a good experiment in whether or not it is something we should have legally all around America, or just in select cities. It is legal and successful in Europe; it is legal and successful in Las Vegas, so why can’t it work in New Jersey?
Here’s a New Jersey native hoping it does. Not only do I think it’s good for my home state, but as a sports fan, I know there’s no better way to find a rooting interest in an otherwise meaningless game than placing some money on it.
If the leagues fail and sports betting remains legal in New Jersey, which I think it will, not only will it be great for the state in general, but said state will also be the location of my 22nd birthday. Who’s coming?
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Matt Rosenfeld is the Sports Editor for The Fordham Ram.
