The governor of the state of New Jersey has officially signed a bill into law which will allow legalized sports betting to take place in the state. Governor Chris Christie signed the bill this past Tuesday and sports betting is now legal but will not be allowed until the federal ban is overturned in the US.

Both houses in the state voted for the bill to be turned into law in large numbers so it was almost inevitable that Christie would sign the bill. The law will now allow betting to take place on both college and pro teams at casinos in the state as well as the horse tracks in the state.

So now the state will have to wait until the federal law is overturned. The law currently states it is illegal to wager on sports in the US, except for four states. New Jersey is working to have the law overturned and if they win then all fifty states will be able to offer sports betting.

Senator Raymond Lesniak of New Jersey commented: “This is the beginning of the end for the unfair, discriminatory and unwise federal ban on sports betting. It has failed to curb the public’s desire to bet on sporting events. Indeed, betting on sports has increased exponentially since the ban has passed congress.”

Back in November, voters in the state showed a 2 to 1 margin on the referendum that they wanted to be allowed to place sports wagers. Ralph Caputo an Assemblyman in the state commented on the subject by stating:

“New Jersey voters made clear they want sports wagering, and this law will handle it in a responsible and professional fashion. It does the right thing for New Jersey, and will ensure our racetracks and casinos remain competitive. Our job isn’t done, but this is great economic progress for our state.”


- 2012-01-18