Speculation Mounts as Internet Gambling Bill Deadline Looms in New Jersey
The clock is ticking down to noon eastern time tomorrow, which happens to be the deadline for New Jersey’s governor, Chris Christie, to act on Internet gambling legislation that the state’s legislature approved late last year. The bill seeks to regulate online poker and other forms of Internet wagering in the state.
Christie is faced with three options: to veto the bill, to sign it into law, or, if he prefers, he can do nothing and the bill will automatically go into effect tomorrow afternoon.
There has been talk that he might also issue a conditional veto, which is a veto that affects only part of the legislation. Under such a scenario, the governor would ask that the legislature revise the parts of the bill he objects to, and the bill would be re-introduced.
There has been quite a bit of conjecture about just what Governor Christie is planning to do. So far, we know that Christie has historically been mindful of the Republican party’s platform, which has been disinclined toward expanded gambling, as he keeps his eye on ascending to a higher office, perhaps even president. He vetoed a similar bill in 2011, citing concerns about the rise of problem gambling.
Sources close to Christie have said that he will likely allow the bill to take effect passively, however it is not entirely out of the question that he could also sign it, having waited until the eleventh hour to do so perhaps to gain maximum effect.
The introduction of legalized online gambling to New Jersey has been supported by many factions, including the Atlantic City casino union, who believe it will offer a new stream of revenue for the government as well as help preserve jobs in the state.
Atlantic City, New Jersey’s gambling capitol, has seen declining revenue in recent years and was badly damaged by Superstorm Sandy. Facing increased pressure from neighboring states like Delaware, which has already enacted a law allowing its residents to play online poker, many see the Internet gambling bill as a means of turning around the bleak outlook for Atlantic City.
On Tuesday state Senator Raymond Lesniak put forward the idea of introducing a referendum in the event that Christie vetoes the online gambling bill, which would put the matter to a vote and circumvent the governor altogether by changing the state’s constitution.
Lesniak admitted that this tactic was not without great risk, however, as the tables could turn and online gambling could be banned under such a measure.
“It could preclude New Jersey from having Internet gaming even if the federal government allows it,” the Press of Atlantic City quoted Lesniak as saying.
Last week Governor Christie signed into law a bill that clears the way for mobile betting at the state’s racetracks. The law, designed mainly to attract younger gamblers to the state’s racetracks by permitting them to easily place bets using their iPads, iPhones, and other mobile devices, was cheered as bringing New Jersey racetrack facilities “into the twenty-first century.”
Whether Governor Christie will be so forward-thinking about other forms of wagering remains to be seen, but those who have been closely monitoring the situation for weeks won’t have long to wait, as by this time tomorrow we should all know the outcome of this situation.
