Sports Betting Push Is On
A plan to ready New Jersey and Atlantic City for possible sports betting got strong support at a public hearing Monday.
By Mike Pritchard
Apr. 5, 2010
atlanticcityweekly.com
Though billed as a public hearing on sports betting in New Jersey, the voices heard Monday at the Atlantic City Convention Center were much more political and public than private. And the conclusion was obvious — sports betting has a lot of political support in the state.
Politicians, union officials and several proponents for Internet gambling came out strongly in favor of a plan to hold a referendum in November to amend the state constitution to allow sports betting at casinos and racetracks. Though current federal law prohibits sports betting in 56 states, including New Jersey, (Nevada, Oregon, Montana and Delaware have exemptions), the amendment is needed so the city can respond quickly if the federal ban is overturned, proponents say.
“We need to be ready when it happens,” said Assemblyman James Whelan, D-Atlantic, one of the sponsors of the amendment. “If the ban is overturned, Delaware could respond within weeks and New York, Pennsylvania an Connecticut would be right behind hem. But if we are only starting the process, it could take two years for us to be able to respond.”
Adding to the urgency is a lawsuit brought by state Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak, (D-Union) — a sponsor of the bill along with Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic) — challenging the federal ban, which could be resolved before the end of the year.
The hearing was held Monday before the state Senate Economic Growth Committee, which Lesniak chairs. The bill’s sponsors, representatives of some city unions and several lobbyists for Internet gaming sites supported the bill, claiming that it would bring jobs, and ancillary revenues to the city and allow Atlantic City to become a national gambling hub.
“If you don’t think this bill would help Atlantic City. I suggest you try and see if you can book a room in Las Vegas tonight,” said Lesniak. “With tonight’s (NCAA championship basketball game) there are no rooms. That city is packed and benefiting from their unfair exemption. That is money that could be coming into New Jersey.”
Opposition was light, but did include an objection from the National Football League, which has historically opposed sports betting, and Harrah’s Entertainment, which feels that the state should not act as long as the federal ban is in effect, saying it would provide “false hope” to city workers.
Lesniak, however, argued fervently that New Jersey voters would understand that the amendment alone would not create sports betting.
“Our voters are not stupid and not going to be taken in by any ‘false hope,” Lesniak said. “This bill does not legalize something illegal. They know that. The simple fact is that Pennsylvania and Delaware do not have to amend their constitutions to put in sports betting. We do. If the ban is overturned, they could institute sports betting that very day.”
Van Drew, however, said he had toyed with the idea of moving to enact sports betting despite the ban.
“My position originally was to approve it and then let the federal government sue us,” he said. “But it’s clear that millions are spent on illegal gambling each year. The question is whether New Jersey can provide sports betting in an ethical and open manner that brings it into the sunlight. I think we can.”
Some other points from the meeting include:
• Representatives of the greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce objected to the bill including racetracks, saying the state must protect its investment in Atlantic City. Whelan, however, said he found no support in the state Legislature for excluding racetracks, an industry which is also struggling in the state.
• Several Internet lobbying firms stressed that Atlantic City could position itself to becoming a major player in the Internet gambling market. The state’s tough regulatory reputation is something that current providers would seek out as they seek to legitimize their industry in the U.S. Sports betting could be a first step (though other legislation would be needed), they said. If A.C. became a hub for Internet gaming, it could bring thousands of tech jobs to the city as well as substantial technological infrastructure improvements to the area, they said.
A plan to ready New Jersey and Atlantic City for possible sports betting got strong support at a public hearing Monday.
By Mike Pritchard
Apr. 5, 2010
atlanticcityweekly.com
Though billed as a public hearing on sports betting in New Jersey, the voices heard Monday at the Atlantic City Convention Center were much more political and public than private. And the conclusion was obvious — sports betting has a lot of political support in the state.
Politicians, union officials and several proponents for Internet gambling came out strongly in favor of a plan to hold a referendum in November to amend the state constitution to allow sports betting at casinos and racetracks. Though current federal law prohibits sports betting in 56 states, including New Jersey, (Nevada, Oregon, Montana and Delaware have exemptions), the amendment is needed so the city can respond quickly if the federal ban is overturned, proponents say.
“We need to be ready when it happens,” said Assemblyman James Whelan, D-Atlantic, one of the sponsors of the amendment. “If the ban is overturned, Delaware could respond within weeks and New York, Pennsylvania an Connecticut would be right behind hem. But if we are only starting the process, it could take two years for us to be able to respond.”
Adding to the urgency is a lawsuit brought by state Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak, (D-Union) — a sponsor of the bill along with Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic) — challenging the federal ban, which could be resolved before the end of the year.
The hearing was held Monday before the state Senate Economic Growth Committee, which Lesniak chairs. The bill’s sponsors, representatives of some city unions and several lobbyists for Internet gaming sites supported the bill, claiming that it would bring jobs, and ancillary revenues to the city and allow Atlantic City to become a national gambling hub.
“If you don’t think this bill would help Atlantic City. I suggest you try and see if you can book a room in Las Vegas tonight,” said Lesniak. “With tonight’s (NCAA championship basketball game) there are no rooms. That city is packed and benefiting from their unfair exemption. That is money that could be coming into New Jersey.”
Opposition was light, but did include an objection from the National Football League, which has historically opposed sports betting, and Harrah’s Entertainment, which feels that the state should not act as long as the federal ban is in effect, saying it would provide “false hope” to city workers.
Lesniak, however, argued fervently that New Jersey voters would understand that the amendment alone would not create sports betting.
“Our voters are not stupid and not going to be taken in by any ‘false hope,” Lesniak said. “This bill does not legalize something illegal. They know that. The simple fact is that Pennsylvania and Delaware do not have to amend their constitutions to put in sports betting. We do. If the ban is overturned, they could institute sports betting that very day.”
Van Drew, however, said he had toyed with the idea of moving to enact sports betting despite the ban.
“My position originally was to approve it and then let the federal government sue us,” he said. “But it’s clear that millions are spent on illegal gambling each year. The question is whether New Jersey can provide sports betting in an ethical and open manner that brings it into the sunlight. I think we can.”
Some other points from the meeting include:
• Representatives of the greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce objected to the bill including racetracks, saying the state must protect its investment in Atlantic City. Whelan, however, said he found no support in the state Legislature for excluding racetracks, an industry which is also struggling in the state.
• Several Internet lobbying firms stressed that Atlantic City could position itself to becoming a major player in the Internet gambling market. The state’s tough regulatory reputation is something that current providers would seek out as they seek to legitimize their industry in the U.S. Sports betting could be a first step (though other legislation would be needed), they said. If A.C. became a hub for Internet gaming, it could bring thousands of tech jobs to the city as well as substantial technological infrastructure improvements to the area, they said.
