Chris Christie Takes Shots at NFL Over Sportsbetting

This week New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has blasted the National Football League for their stance on sportsbetting, noting that he feels the league is hypocritical in their views.

The governor has been attempting to legalize sportsbetting in his state and has been a multi-year long battle with multiple sports leagues, including the NFL. He took to 'Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel' on HBO to discuss the issue, and noted that the league's oppose sportsbetting in his state despite putting teams in Las Vegas, where sportsbetting is legal.

"The hypocrisy is just so overwhelming," Christie said. "They say because we have the Giants and the Jets and the Devils that somehow we shouldn't be allowed to have gambling here because it somehow will threaten the integrity of the game. Well, you kidding? How isn't it threatening the integrity of the game in Las Vegas for the NHL and NFL."

"I mean, that's why they no longer have any moral high ground on this. They cannot make the integrity of the game argument anymore … because they have now gone to the sports gambling capital of America and put two of the four major sports now, having teams in that city. It's over."

New Jersey legalized sportsbetting through a voter referendum, but was sued before it could be implemented into the state's casinos. The state has lost in federal court multiple times, as the government and sports leagues contend that the New Jersey law violates the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which makes sportsbetting illegal except for within a few states. The case has been appealed to the Supreme Court, where New Jersey will argue that PASPA is unconstitutional, as it offers unequal rights to certain states.