New Jersey sports betting court date set
News on 5 Jan 2013
News on 5 Jan 2013
The on-going litigation between major US sports league and the state of New Jersey is set to resume February 14 2013 following Judge Michael Shipp’s choice of that date for continued arguments.
The leagues are attempting to halt New Jersey’s new legislation legalising sports betting in the Garden State, which effectively defies the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act 1992 restricting sports betting to four US states.
New Jersey has contested the leagues’ right to legal standing on the issue (and lost) and argues that PASPA is discriminatory and unconstitutional.
Judge Shipp will now consider further argument on the constitutional aspects of the case, starting midday on February 14.
Ridiculing the sports league’s arguments in support of PASPA, high profile online gambling legal expert I. Nelson Rose told the San Francisco Chronicle last week that the act’s provisions were akin to a declaration that only a dozen US states were permitted to use sound in movie theatres.
Interestingly, so far the federal government has steered clear of the dispute despite Judge Shipp giving the authorities a window until January 20 to declare an interest in participating in the action.
The New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association is nowhere near as reticent, and has filed notice that it supports its home state’s motion for a summary judgement on the issue.
At least one racetrack operator is champing at the bit to start offering real-money sports betting. Darby Development operates the Monmouth Park horse racing track and has plans to launch a play-money sports betting facility pending the implementation of the state’s new legislation, and once the legal dust settles.
