Surprise: New Jersey May Win Battle to Allow Sports Betting

((ht: espn.com))

Call it a last ditch effort to save the crumbling Casino's of Atlantic City.

Politicians in New Jersey may actually have found a way to win in their battle with the NCAA and Professional Sports Leagues to allow Sports gambling in the state.

The State Attorney General has told law enforcement in the state to NOT prosecute sports betting operations and Governor Chris Christie is trying to get a ruling from a district court judge stating he's not violating federal law by doing so.

That judge has set a hearing for October 6th, which puts the sports leagues and NCAA on the clock.

It should be noted, the New Jersey politicians believe they will win in court. And they also believe the sports organizations won't fight them. Which has already led to a handful of other states to look into the issue to see if they can push through similar rulings.

What this means: This is an under-reported game changer on many, many levels. Until now, the only place you could legitimately place sports bets was Las Vegas. And the pros have stayed away from Vegas for fear of the sports books influencing their games.

If New Jersey wins and other states follow suit. They (the sports leagues) have no place to hide. We believe they'll challenge New Jersey and maybe then this story will get some attention.

It's a big issue. We know lots of people who bet on sports. We don't necessarily participate, it's a choice. But we also see where the gambling could influence things much more than it does now. We've occasionally reported on fixing games to meet the line and quite honestly, most Sports Talk radio, TV and Newspapers post the lines for you to consider.

We do predict games over the course of the football season but don't use the line to make our picks. Partially because we don't like to do it, partially because we don't gamble and in large part because we pick with our hearts and instinct, not what an expert says.

Keep an eye on this issue, we suspect...or hope this won't be the last you hear of it.

Take a look at a piece ESPN:60 did about the latest Sports Gambling technology here:

NCAA/Pro Leagues Sue New Jersey Over Gambling Idea

From the NBA their own selves...

The NCAA and the four major professional sports leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL and
the NHL) today filed a complaint against New Jersey state officials in
federal court in Trenton, NJ seeking to stop the state from implementing
sports betting on pro and college games.

The leagues and the NCAA assert that the state’s recently announced
decision to offer sports betting violates long-standing federal law. The
Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (“PASPA”) became law in 1992
and prohibits states from operating a lottery or betting scheme based on
pro or college games. This law is also known as the “Bradley Act” for its
proponent, then New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley.

The law provided a one-year window, from January 1, 1993 to January 1,
1994, during which New Jersey was afforded the opportunity to authorize
sports betting. The state declined that opportunity and has been barred by
federal law from conducting sports gambling.

The key points of the complaint are that once the public comment period for the proposed gambling laws concludes at the end of August, casinos in Atlantic City can apply for gaming licenses and start their operations for gambling on pro and college sports.

Section 6 seems to be the most interest, and fairly hypocritical, of the lawsuit claiming that:

Amateur and professional sports are an integral part of American culture, particularly among the country's youth who often look up to athletes as role models.

Sure, okay, we get that...

The sponsorship, operation, advertising, promotion, licensure, and authorization of sports gambling in New Jersey would irreparably harm amateur and professional sports by fostering suspicion that individual plays and final scores of games may have been influenced by factors other than honest athletic competition.

Okay, this is where the HQ stops...
Really...
Really...???

It's okay for Nevada and Delaware to do it, but not okay for New Jersey...???
Then, if this is true... won't the five leagues ask for the same cease and desist there...??? Of course, they won't...

Too much revenue is part of their activity already and adding New Jersey to the mix would (in theory) cut from the moneys those two states are already making with their set-ups...

And the five leagues are calling "fix" in New Jersey...??? And no place else...???

Right...

Just don't see it...

NJ Gov: We're allowing Sports Betting try and stop us

Gov. Chris Christie

((ht: washingtonpost.com))

And with that, a gauntlet of sorts is being laid down by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Christie announced Thursday afternoon that he would allow the state begin implementing Sports Gambling in order to help prop up ailing Atlantic City.

Okay great. One problem.

According to a 1991 Federal law, they aren't allowed to have Sports Betting. And they apparently had a chance to be included before that law passed, but didn't.

Christie says he's prepared for the Feds to try and stop him, but says "Go Ahead".

Read the Washington Post story RIGHT HERE

Hmmm...interesting.

We think there will be a lot of eyes on this one. A non-binding referendum during the last election cycle indicated that the public in New Jersey are for it. The casino industry, of course, is way for it. But they are hesitant to open up said betting parlor for fear it could be shut down.

And it might.

But it might not.

We aren't big advocates of gambling, mostly because we...well, we suck at it. But, if that is what the majority wants...they should have the ability to get it. Though we haven't been to Atlantic City are ownselves, we know plenty of people that have. And, well, it doesn't exactly have the same reputation that Las Vegas does.

So if this would help them, they should be allowed to do it. As long as they play by the rules.

We look forward to seeing what happens now that the ball is, at least in theory, now in the Feds court.

Maybe Christie can call Robert Conrad to back him up: