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The Times of Trenton Editorial staff offered their take on Tuesday’s not-so-shocking lawsuit filed by the four professional sports leagues and NCAA that attempts to stop the state of New Jersey from allowing legalized sports betting.
If New Jersey prevails, visitors to the state’s casinos and racetracks will be able to place bets on professional games, as well as college contests that are played outside the state and don’t involve New Jersey teams.
Major league baseball, basketball, football and hockey, as well as the NCAA, apparently don’t acknowledge illegal sports betting that generates up to $500 billion a year across the country. That’s despite announcers candidly discussing the point spreads on any given game day and the ubiquitous NCAA pools that flood the country every March.
New Jersey officials, however, make no bones about wanting to corral some tax revenue from all the money now finding its way into the accounts of offshore gambling sites and the hands of bookies.
No matter what happens in court, wagering on games will continue in New Jersey. It’s just a question of who benefits.
Joe Brennan Jr., head of The Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association, an international trade organization assisting with New Jersey’s efforts to legalize sports wagering, told Gambling911.com earlier in the week that he believes the state will walk away from this lawsuit victorious. Brennan Jr. also noted that New Jersey plans to move forward with its attempts to legalize sports betting as early as this coming November.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
