In the fight against the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), New Jersey has been the most aggressive state by far. For several years, the state has been going back and forth with the federal government. The state passed a law that allowed for sports gambling in casinos and racetracks, and that law was even voted in by New Jersey residents, but the legislative effort was quickly subdued thanks to a lawsuit from the major professional sports leagues. Governor Chris Christie has filed several appeals, citing PASPA as unconstitutional. From his view, states should have the right to decide whether they want sports gambling in their state or not. As it stands now, PASPA has been the determining factor for each of their failed attempts. New Jersey hasn’t given up hope, filing appeal after appeal, waiting for their case to be heard. Currently, they’re awaiting word from the Supreme Court.
Christie isn’t the only one fighting for the state, as two New Jersey Congressmen are lobbying in support of the state’s rights in the House of Representatives. Congressmen Frank LoBiondo and Frank Pallone, Jr. have penned two separate bills that would essentially clear the way for New Jersey to implement sports gambling. Pallone’s New Jersey Betting and Equal Treatment Act would circumvent PASPA and release the state from its list of prohibited states. As of now, only four states are allowed to host sports gambling—Oregon, Montana, Delaware and Nevada. LoBiondo’s Sports Gaming Opportunity Act creates the most interesting opportunity from an all-inclusive standpoint. His bill allows for any state to have a four-year period where they can draft, vote in and implement legislation that legalizes sports gambling. LoBiondo’s bill does for every other state what, in essence, New Jersey is trying to do for themselves. As a whole, both bills would accomplish the goal, but the fact that there are two separate ones increasing their chances of getting something out of the situation.
For LoBiondo and Pallone, this effort isn’t met with much expectation, albeit this year may prove to be the most effectual. This isn’t the first time the pair of congressmen have tried to pass these bills, and if history repeats itself then it certainly won’t be the last. Perhaps the most vindicating aspect of New Jersey’s all-out assault on PASPA is the support it has drummed up from other states. Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania have also put up legislation that would allow for legalized sports gambling. The only difference between these states and New Jersey is that these others are waiting to see what happens with PASPA. These other bills would only go into effect pending PASPA’s repeal, whereas New Jersey’s bill went around PASPA.
The federal government isn’t the state’s only obstacle. The major professional sports leagues are responsible for the original bill getting blocked. The leagues have held an anti-sports gambling stance for years, the NFL being the most against it, but some of the leagues have begun to warm up to the idea of legalized sports gambling. For now, New Jersey online sports gambling is in limbo. You won’t find it in any casino or racetrack, and you won’t find any Nevada-style sportsbooks, but if the governmental trio of Christie, LoBiondo and Pallone can sway the legislative tide, New Jersey may very well be the first state affected by PASPA to break free.