Judge issues injunction for sports betting in New Jersey
Sports betting in New Jersey was supposed to start this week, but a federal judge's injunction stopped the plans before the first wagers could be placed. Judge Michael Shipp granted the injunction on Friday, responding to a request from the four major sports leagues and the NCAA to stop New Jersey sports betting temporarily until their case to ban it entirely was heard.
This occurred only a week after Governor Chris Christie signed a bill which partially lifted New Jersey's sports betting ban, making it legal at casinos and racetracks.
Christie and other New Jersey lawmakers think that by permitting sports betting without specifically regulating it, they can avoid previous rulings that deemed New Jersey's sports betting ambitions to be in violation of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).
Judge Saw Irreversible Damage
In his judgment, Judge Shipp found that the sports leagues would have suffered irreversible harm if sports betting happened at Monmouth Park on the weekend.
"More legal gambling means more overall gambling, which in turn means a greater motivation to fix plaintiffs' games," Judge Shipp wrote. He also highlighted that a short-term ban would ensure the issue ended up in court.
New Jersey officials have declared their intention to keep fighting this battle in the courts and are confident that they will ultimately win.
"This is a provisional order while the key issues regarding sports betting in New Jersey are naturally considered in court," said Michael Drewniak, a spokesperson for Governor Christie.
Lesniak Says State Won't Give Up
New Jersey State Senator Raymond Lesniak (D-Union County), a leading voice for sports betting in the state, expressed dissatisfaction with the judge's decision. Lesniak made a point that it's hard to believe the NFL suffered irreparable harm while they held a game in London, a location where sports betting is legal.
"The judge bought it," said Lesniak. "That's why I'm not optimistic about the judge ultimately ruling in our favour. I wish we had a different judge...but he's the judge."
Lesniak and other supporters believe that a likely outcome for the case is Judge Shipp ruling against New Jersey. If so, the state would then appeal to the Third Circuit, where Lesniak maintains that the state has a good chance of winning.
For now, Lesniak is unsure if the injunction really prevents sports betting in the state. While it would block wagering on NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL games, as well as college sports, it's possible that casinos and racetracks can still provide betting opportunities for other sports, such as golf, tennis, and international soccer.
"I believe soccer betting will be a big draw for New Jersey," said Lesniak. "Just imagine Portugal playing Spain; what a huge draw that would be."
Supporters of sports betting in New Jersey hope that it could help revive the ailing Atlantic City casinos by providing the broad range of gambling options available in Las Vegas.
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