The New Jersey legislation proposing the legalisation of Internet gambling in the state continued to reverberate around the industry this week, making media headlines everywhere.
New Jersey Senator Raymond Lesniak’s proposed bill would allow state residents to gamble online via websites run by the state’s land casino operators in Atlantic City.
This is Lesniak’s second initiative aimed at opening up a regulated state Internet gambling market – earlier he had introduced a bill seeking to have New Jersey residents vote on a constitutional amendment that would allow state-regulated sports wagering in Atlantic City casinos, and from state residents via an intra-state Internet gambling system.
In terms of federal law horse racing carve-outs, New Jersey currently offers Internet gambling on horse races to state residents through the 4NJbets.com website. This could be used to expand the law and legalise online versions of games currently allowed in Atlantic City casinos, such as Poker, Blackjack and Baccarat.
The Internet gambling system would be regulated by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission through a new Division of Internet Wagering to manage operations and licensing.
This week iMEGA chairman Joe Brennan Jnr. applauded Senator Lesniak’s initiative, saying: “We’re happy that New Jersey has taken this issue into their own hands. New Jersey is recognised as having the toughest gaming regulators in the US, but as a leading gaming state with a long track record of doing things the right way, Internet gambling will have a great home here and the opportunity to begin normalising the industry.”