Assembly Panel To Consider New Plan For Sports
Betting
Apr 28, 2004
A state Assembly panel will take up the issue of
sports betting next week, the Legislature's first
look at the issue since it passed on an
opportunity to bring sports betting to Atlantic
City in 1994.
One of the sponsors of the sports betting plan,
Assemblyman Lou Greenwald, D-Camden, met Tuesday
with the New Jersey Casino Association.
"They're very excited," Greenwald said. "They,
like myself, have questions. We have to analyze
the legal constraints."
Federal law limits sports betting to four states:
Nevada, Oregon, Delaware and Montana. New Jersey
had the chance to approve sports betting in 1994,
but the state Legislature failed to put a
constitutional amendment on the ballot after
opposition from professional sports leagues and
former U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley.
The Assembly Tourism and Gaming Committee, chaired
by Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May,
Cumberland and Atlantic, will discuss the issue
Monday and may vote on a resolution to urge the
federal government to include New Jersey.
"The federal government may have overstepped its
bounds," Van Drew said. "We want to hear from
expert attorneys on both sides of the issues. We
need to explore this more thoroughly."
No matter what happens, Van Drew said he believes
sports betting needs to go to voters for approval. |