Ray Lesniak Pushes New Jersey Gambling Legislation

New Jersey State Senator Raymond J. Lesniak has announced that he plans in introducing a bill to the New Jersey Senate for the legalization and regulation of internet gambling in the Garden State.  Following the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent reexamination and redefinition of the 1961 Federal Wire Act which led to the exclusion of online casino gambling from the law, Lesniak believes that New Jersey should be at the forefront of legalization.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had vetoed a similar bill in the past, fearing it would violate the 1961 Federal Wire Act.  However, now that the USDOJ’s Legal Committee has removed online gambling from the bill, Lesniak believes he will be able to get the bill passed.  Lesniak said he wants New Jersey to be the “Silicon Valley” of online gambling.  He believes that it’s only a matter of time before states start legalizing online gambling, and the first ones to do it position themselves in a very advantages position.  Lesniak wants New Jersey to house the best USA online casino with the best casino games.

Lesniak is including clauses in the bill to address specific issues that Gov. Christie had raised regarding online gambling.  These clauses included penal measures, such as a one thousand dollar fine, per player per day, for operating an unlicensed internet casino, and a ten thousand dollar fine for advertising such an establishment.  Another clause is a minimum age of 21, and a requirement to be located within New Jersey state lines while gambling; Lesniak stressed that the technology already exists to enforce those requirements.  The bill also has a clause allocating $100,000 annually for a problem gambling fund.