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TagsPackage moves to Assembly for action
A package of seven sponsored by state Senate Democrats to help breathe life into New Jersey's ailing casinos and horse race tracks was approved by the full upper house on Monday.
The bills, which move to the Assembly for consideration, are the result of hearings held on issues pertaining to the gaming and wagering economic sectors earlier this year, are intended to bolster economic activity and maintain competitiveness for New Jersey's gaming industries, which are facing more and more competition from neighboring states.
"Unless we take the necessary steps to bring our casinos and horse tracks into profitability and self-sufficiency, we're going to lose these economic engines and all the benefits they bring to our state," said Sen. Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic the co-chair of the Legislative Gaming Summit and a sponsor on many of the bills.
"This would be a devastating blow to New Jersey's economic future, and it's something we cannot allow to happen. Through the measures approved today, and additional bills which I expect to move shortly, we will be able to give our gaming and wagering industries a fighting chance."The first bill in the package, S-490, sponsored by Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak (D-Union), would authorize Atlantic City's 11 casinos to operate intrastate and international Internet wagering. The bill would provide that all games, including poker, that are played at a casino, as well as variations or composites, may be offered through Internet wagering, and the bill would establish proper safeguards and regulation to ensure fairness in Internet wagering. Internet-based games would be available to New Jersey residents and international bettors, but would be prohibited for bettors across state lines, to conform to federal interstate Internet gambling prohibitions. The bill was approved by a vote of 29-5.
The second bill, S-829, sponsored by Sen. Richard J. Codey (D-Essex), would authorize the state Racing Commission to issue a license to the state Sports and Exposition Authority to establish an exchange wagering system in New Jersey. Under the proposed system, which would allow New Jersey residents who are at least 18 years of age to open an account, bettors would be able to set up exchange wagering accounts, and two or more bettors would be able to place directly opposing wagers on the outcome of a horse race or races. Exchange wagering differs from the existing pari-mutuel betting taking place at horse tracks in the state in that bettors are matched directly with opposing bettors, as opposed to betting against odds that are set by the licensed race track operator.
Under the bill, bets could be paired against opposing wagers in New Jersey or any other state that has a legal exchange wagering system. Exchange wagering could also be set up so that bettors can place their bets in person at the racetrack, by direct telephone call, or by communication through some other electronic medium, including over the Internet. The bill was approved by a vote of 34-1.
The third bill, S-1866, sponsored by Whelan, would authorize the state Casino Control Commission to create a pilot program to offer two new classifications for casino licensure. In addition to the traditional 500-plus room capacity, minimum 60,000 square foot casinos that the commission currently licenses, the agency would have the option of licensing a small-scale casino project, which would have not more than 24,000 feet of casino space and not less than 200 qualified sleeping units, and a staged casino facility project, which would begin with not more than 34,000 square feet of casino space and not less than 200 sleeping units, and would be required to build up to the 500-room requirement within five years of licensure. Under the bill, the commission would have the authority to license one small-scale project and one staged facility project in order to see if these sorts of casino developments would thrive in Atlantic City under current market conditions. The bill was approved by a vote of 32-0.
The fourth bill, S-1980, sponsored by Sen. Paul A. Sarlo (D-Bergen), would make various changes to the state's "Off-Track and Account Wagering Act," to ensure that off-track wagering (OTW) facilities are being built in New Jersey. Under current law, the Sports and Exposition Authority and private racetracks are permitted to develop 15 (OTW) parlors throughout the state. Under the bill, the 15 current permit holders would have to show progress by Jan. 1, 2012, or those permits would revert to the horsemen organizations, and if the horsemen organizations cannot show progress, the permits would go to the open market, to allow any private investor to bid on the development rights for those facilities. The bill was approved by a vote of 32-1.
The fifth bill, S-2229, sponsored by Codey, would allow racetracks to combine all wagers placed on the results of one or more runnings or harness horse races into a single pari-mutuel pool. By creating larger pari-mutuel pools, racetracks can handle a greater variety of wagers and reduce the adverse effect of large pay-outs to the racetrack's bottom line. The bill was approved by a vote of 34-0.
The sixth bill S-2390, sponsored by Sarlo and Whelan, would lower the minimum requirement for the number of standardbred horse racing dates scheduled at the Meadowlands Racetrack and Freehold Raceway to 100 dates per season at each track. The move, following the successful adoption of a reduced schedule at Monmouth Park earlier this year, would ensure larger purses and more prestigious races at the racetrack each year. The bill was approved by a vote of 34-0.
The final bill, S-2394, sponsored by Sarlo, would dedicate an amount equal to the sales and use taxes associated with horse racing, breeding, training, raising or boarding to programs designed to improve and promote thoroughbred and standardbred horse breeding in New Jersey. The measure would require the director of the state Division of Taxation to annually deposit an amount equal to the sales and use tax revenue collected in association with horse racing and breeding into a new fund within the state Department of Law and Public Safety - the "New Jersey Standardbred and Thoroughbred Racehorse Incentive Fund" - which will be maintained by the state Racing Commission. The taxation director would be required to consult with the commission to identify and define the amount of tax revenue associated with horse racing and breeding. The bill was approved by a vote of 31-3.
– TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
