New Jersey Loses Federal Sportsbetting Challenge

The state of New Jersey lost a case in Federal court Thursday when a Federal judge ruled against the state and implemented an injunction, blocking the Garden State from implementing any such law.

The case was brought after the U.S. Department of Justice filed suit against New Jersey last year after the state's Governor signed a bill into law which legalized sports betting within the state's borders. The country's major sports leagues also sued on similar grounds to the federal government.

In a 45 page decision, Federal judge Michael Shipp ruled that the state law violated the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, in which the federal government limited sports betting to just four states.

The judge noted that the implementation of such as law was rational and that intervention of such a law on a judicial level is not justified "...no matter how unwise a court considers a policy decision of the legislative branch."

The judge went on to side with the DoJ and major sports leagues by ruling that the PASPA does not interfere with state rights but instead stops them from legalizing sports betting.

The issue will likely not be put to rest with this ruling, however, as the state is slated to appeal the case.