Letter to the Editor:
As a member of the Legislative Gaming Summit, it is troubling for me that legislators representing Bergen County would abstain or flat out vote against an amendment to the New Jersey Constitution that would allow for sports betting to take place at New Jersey racetracks and Atlantic City casinos. Placing bets on sporting events currently goes on in New Jersey despite its illegality and the possibility to be put in harm’s way. We have the chance to make sport betting safe for bettors while putting in regulations to make sure the integrity of the sports industry isn’t compromised.
New Jersey was left out of the mix when the federal government put a stop to sports book, as sports betting is known, on a national level in 1992. Currently sports book is available to four states: Nevada , Delaware , Montana and Oregon . These states already had laws allowing for sports betting before the federal ban and they were grandfathered so they could continue to offer it.
We are in a prime position to be one of the first states to open sports betting since the ban was put into effect. It is estimated that $380 billion is illegally spent every year betting on sporting events. People bet on everything from NCAA’s Final Four, the World Series and the Super Bowl, which is coming to the Meadowlands in 2014. Sports fans will pack the Meadowlands racetrack, and other venues, to bet on these events which could potentially bring over $1.3 billion in revenue and $120 million in taxes to Bergen County and New Jersey . These bettors will come from not only New Jersey , but from all over the region to place bets on their favorite sporting event.
New Jersey won’t be able to allow sports betting at our racetracks and casinos until we change our Constitution. A vote by all New Jersey residents in favor of sports book will pave the way for the federal government to re-evaluate their stance against sports betting. Abstentions and “no” votes by legislators from the 39th and 40th districts do not help protect Bergen County jobs or help create new revenue for the State. Please contact your legislators and ask them to support sports betting in New Jersey .
Connie Wagner
Assemblywoman
38th District
Office of Connie Wagner
General Assembly
District 38
205 Robin Road
Paramus, NJ 07652
Phone: (201) 576-9199
Fax: (201) 576-9432
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