US Department of Justice Claims New Jersey Missed Chance with Sports Betting

Four pro leagues and the US Department of Justice oppose New Jersey’s sports betting plans, claiming they missed their shot.

Gambling news report that US DOJ, in cooperation with professional sports leagues, filed documents to the US Supreme Court pleading their case against allowing New Jersey the right to offer legal sports betting.

The brief papers state that New Jersey’s sports gaming law is “a blatant and unapologetic violation of PASPA,” a law passed in 1992 concerning the prohibition of sports betting.

The leagues asserted that New Jersey had a chance to be part of the initial sports betting setup, along with Nevada, however the Eastern state declined to take part at the time. Therefore, New Jersey missed its opportunity at being “grandfathered” into legal sports gambling. Nevertheless, the leagues claimed, “there will be time enough for this Court to consider.”

Reason for opting out of the “grandfathering” chance

The reason for not joining Nevada in the ranks of being the initial “grandfathering” states, is due to a change in the political seat of New Jersey, some twenty years ago.

Republican Christine Todd Whitman took the reigns of the New Jersey Governorship from Democrat James Florio. Members of the Florio staff worked closely with participants of the state Assembly, in order to prevent the sports betting question becoming a ballot referendum.

Whitman feared that possible expansion of gambling options would prompt certain businesses to seek altering some of the proposed US gambling laws in the state. She believed there was a possibility that Atlantic City casinos would spend heavily to get out the necessary votes in Democratic districts.