US Supreme Court Declines NJ Sports Betting Case
June 26, 2014 4:48 pmNew Jersey has failed in its attempt to have the ‘Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act’ (PASPA) overturned. In 1992, PASPA limited sports betting to just four US states, namely Nevada, Delaware, Oregon and Montana, but two years ago New Jersey sought to have its name added to the exclusive list. After its case was twice rejected in federal court, NJ subsequently took its appeal to the Supreme Court, but now the state’s long shot has failed with five members of the U.S. Supreme Court voting not to accept the New Jersey sports betting case.
Following the disappointing decision, Gov. Christie said he was now prepared to concede defeat, stating: “It’s always a long shot to get certiorati from the United State Supreme Court. That’s the way it goes. They said no, so we have to move on.”
Ironically, when PASPA was originally passed New Jersey was given a one year window of opportunity to join the exclusive list of sports betting states, but at the time New Jersey’s gambling industry was prospering and so the state saw no reason to press the issue. Since 2006, however, The Garden State’s casinos have seen their revenues halve from $5.21 billion to just under $3 billion, last year.
As a result, NJ legislators passed a bill permitting sports betting in 2011, which they said could then generate up to $100 million each year in state revenues. The bill, however, was immediately challenged by the US DoJ along with a number of major sports leagues, including the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, and the National Hockey League.
Their challenge that the NJ’s law would not only violate the PASPA, but would also harm the integrity of their sports, has now paid off dealing another blow to Atlantic City’s beleaguered gambling industry. After the announcement was made, State Senator Raymond Lesniak, commented”
“This is, quite frankly, their [casinos] only hope. They’re going to continue to decline. We will continue to lose jobs.. [I’m disappointed the Supreme Court] would allow Las Vegas to be jam-packed [with bets] during the Super Bowl and Final Four weekend, while Atlantic City is a ghost town.”