New Jersey to Vote on Sports Betting

According to the current laws present in the New Jersey state constitution, sports-betting is not legally available at New Jersey race-tracks or Atlantic City casinos.  This Tuesday, New Jersey voters will be able to decide to change the laws of the New Jersey state constitution and allow for sports-betting in these places.  The election is for the 120 spots in the State Legislature, but this referendum will be on the ballot as well.

This bill is still only a small step of the catching up that New Jersey has to do if it wants to achieve any measure of the success already seen in Nevada.  A recent Rutgers-Eagleton poll indicates that a majority of almost 60% of New Jersey voters are in favor of changing the state constitution to allow sports-betting. 

The main hope of the bill’s supporters is to revive Atlantic City.  New Jersey’s gambling capitol has seen better days, and state legislators are hoping that if sports-betting is allowed, one can expect large crowds in Atlantic City during all the popular sports seasons such as the NCAA playoffs, Super Bowl weekend, and the World Series. 

The bill’s opponents state that sports-betting only makes up for about 2% of total gambling revenue in Nevada; therefore it is naïve to think that such a change will save Atlantic City.  Another claim against sports-betting is that it is more addictive than other types of gambling and therefore more dangerous. 

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said that he would support the change is the majority of New Jersey voters support it via the referendum.  However, the referendum and gubernatorial support are not enough to pass the legislature.  Industry experts point out that the legal paperwork could take months or years before it reaches completion.