On Thursday, October 16, the New Jersey State Assembly passed along a bill seeking to repeal the State’s prohibitions on sports betting. The bill currently awaits signature or veto by Governor Chris Christie.
Sports betting has been a legislative concern since a majority of voters approved a betting referendum back in 2011. Christie approved the subsequent law in 2012, which legalized sports betting within the state. In response, the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NCAA sued claiming the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act disallowed sports betting in all but four states. New Jersey is not one of the four exceptions. The Act banning betting was found constitutional by Judge Shipp of the Third Circuit US Court of Appeals.
Since defeat in court, the New Jersey legislature has sought other avenues to obtain the legalization of betting within the state. With a motion to clarify the Third Circuit’s ruling pending, the New Jersey Senate and Assembly passed the new bill this week. Governor Christie has 45 days to take action on the bill.