New Jersey Senator Aims to Protect Online Gambling from Feds

This week a New Jersey state senator took moves to protect the Garden State's online gaming business by introducing a resolution that calls on the US Congress to "oppose any actions that would prohibit states to conduct Internet gaming."

Senator Jim Whelan introduced the resolution this week, and while the measure doesn't have the effect of being law, it clearly articulates the state's position on internet betting. The measure is formally known as SJR102, and is aimed at protecting New Jersey from federal reach on the issue. Currently President Donald Trump's administration has not made their stance on the issue known, but current Attorney General Jeff Sessions is thought to possibly be opposed to online betting.

Whelan's resolution reads:

This resolution urges United States President Donald Trump, members of President Trump's administration, and Congress to oppose any measures and actions that would prohibit states to conduct Internet gaming. Recent measures in Congress, if pursued by the new Congress and supported by the President and his administration, would prohibit the transmission by wire communication of any bet or wager or of information assisting in the placement of any bet or wager, including Internet gaming.

In his confirmation hearing as nominee for United States Attorney General, Senator Jeff Sessions indicated his desire to revisit the federal Justice Department ruling that currently allows the states to authorize Internet gaming. These measures and actions would invalidate New Jersey's implementation of Internet gaming, which the State authorized in 2013 to be conducted by Atlantic City casinos in partnership with their Internet gaming affiliates and under strict regulation and control by the State's Division of Gaming Enforcement. A federal prohibition against Internet gaming would directly and negatively impact New Jersey by dismantling the investments that the State and Atlantic City casinos have already made to implement and regulate Internet gaming, taking away the economic and employment opportunities already realized by the State and its residents, and foreclosing the future potential of Internet gaming to generate tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue, create high-tech software jobs, and foster valuable business ventures for Atlantic City casinos in this State.