miff Wrote:
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> ABC News
>
>
> Justices Rebuff NJ\'s Effort on Sports Betting
>
> The Supreme Court on Monday left in place a ban on
> sports gambling in New Jersey, rebuffing an
> attempt to bring betting on professional and
> college sporting events to Atlantic City casinos
> and the state\'s racetracks.
>
> The justices did not comment in letting stand
> lower court rulings that struck down New Jersey\'s
> sports betting law because it conflicts with a
> federal law that that allows state-sanctioned
> sports gambling only in Nevada and three other
> states.
>
> The state\'s appeal was led by Gov. Chris Christie
> and it argued that New Jersey was trying to limit
> illegal sports wagering and capture some of that
> money for the state treasury. New Jersey says an
> estimated $500 billion is bet illegally on
> sporting events each year.
>
> The New Jersey lawmaker who wrote the betting
> legislation said he plans to introduce a bill that
> would repeal all laws prohibiting sports betting.
> Sen. Raymond Lesniak said he hoped the U.S.
> Justice Department wouldn\'t challenge it, which he
> said would be consistent with its stance in other
> areas.
>
> \"Aren\'t they selling marijuana in Colorado and
> Washington?\" he asked. \"Isn\'t that against federal
> law?\"
>
> Voters in New Jersey overwhelmingly endorsed legal
> sports betting in a nonbinding referendum in 2011.
> State lawmakers soon enacted a law to allow for
> betting at tracks and in casinos. Bets wouldn\'t
> have been taken on games involving New Jersey
> colleges or college games played in the state.
>
> But those actions ran up against the 1992
> Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act,
> enacted by Congress to restrict betting on sports
> to a few states. Nevada has allowed betting on
> sports for more than 60 years, and Delaware,
> Montana and Oregon have at times permitted more
> limited betting. New Jersey missed a deadline in
> the law that would have allowed sports betting in
> Atlantic City.
>
> The National Collegiate Athletic Association, the
> major professional leagues in baseball,
> basketball, football and hockey sued to block the
> New Jersey law from taking effect, saying betting
> would harm the integrity of their games. The Obama
> administration also joined in the legal fight,
> opposing New Jersey.
>
> A trial judge ruled against the state and his
> ruling was upheld by a divided panel of the 3rd
> U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia.
>
> The appeals court said it was not judging the
> wisdom or desirability of allowing sports
> wagering.
>
> \"New Jersey\'s sports wagering law conflicts with
> PASPA and, under our Constitution, must yield,\"
> the court said.
>
> The dissenting judge said Congress exceeded its
> authority when it passed the federal sports
> betting law.
>
> ———
Was an absolute certainty there\'d be no near-term changes. Journalists drumming up false hopes were/are living in a dream world. It MAY happen here, but it\'s a LONG way down the road, if ever.
