newjerseynewsroom.com

BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

State Senator Raymond Lesniak believes New Jersey should legally be able to allow online gambling inside its own borders.

According to the Courier Post, Lesniak plans to introduce legislation in November addressing the main concerns of Gov. Chris Christie, who vetoed the bill that would have made New Jersey the first state to legalize in-state Internet gambling in March. Lesniak said Christie was concerned about possible Internet gambling cafes turning up, and that some revenue would go to horse racing.

Reviewed Casinos reports that Lesniak sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, in response to a letter Holder received from Congressmen Harry Reid and Jon Kyl. The congressmen asked the Department of Justice to thwart attempts by several states to pass such Internet gambling legislation, claiming it violated federal law, including the Wire Act of 1961. New Jersey, Nevada, California, Florida, Iowa and Hawaii are considering the subject.

But Lesniak argues that ‘unlawful Internet gambling’ does not include bets where the wager is initiated and received exclusively within a single state.

When Christie vetoed the bill, philly.com reported the Casino Association of New Jersey called for the question to be but on the ballot in the next general election. Christie said he was open to the referendum idea.

The Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association, representing offshore Internet betting websites, said Internet gambling in New Jersey could create between $210 million and $250 million in new revenues for Atlantic City casinos in its first full year. They said it could also create 1,586 to 1,903 jobs and $47 million to $55 million in New Jersey tax revenue.

According to nj.gov, Internet gambling casinos are not regulated. If a person wins a bet from an Internet casino-style game, horse race or sporting event, we cannot be sure they will ever be paid.