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Monmouth Park

Gov. Christie signs New Jersey sports betting bill into law

Bob Jordan and Steve Edelson
USA TODAY Sports
Governor Chris Christie said he has long been a proponent of legal sports betting in New Jersey.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has signed legislation giving state approval for Monmouth Park and other racetracks and casinos to regulate and operate sports betting starting next weekend.

Unless the pro sports leagues or the NCAA can win a court injunction, Monmouth Park will take bets starting Oct. 26 for the Jets-Bills game and the other NFL matchups that day, said Dennis Drazin, an attorney representing the Oceanport thoroughbred racing facility.

Christie's attorneys say a federal appeals court last fall signaled that New Jersey could pass a law making sports betting legal in racetracks and casinos, as long as the state had no role regulating it. Federal law bans sports betting in 46 states including New Jersey, but the Christie administration contends the federal sanction wouldn't apply to operator-regulated betting.

The S-2460 bill Christie signed Friday partially repeals state prohibitions, permits, licenses and authorizations for sports betting.

"Obviously, a lot of hard work and effort went into this," Drazin said. "I think that a navigator never distinguished himself on a calm sea. It's been a long fight and we're glad (Christie) has chosen a way to continue the fight to get sports betting in state. We look forward to any challenge from the leagues, if they want to come in and try to stop us. We think we're in the right."

There was no immediate word on the legal plans by the pro sports leagues and the NCAA, but Monmouth University athletics director Marilyn McNeil said, "From my own personal point of view, I think this would be a great decision for New Jersey. I think it's going to help economically."

McNeil, however, said she is worried that the NCAA will enforce a threatened ban against New Jersey schools from hosting championship events or regionals if the state goes ahead with sports betting.

"So that kind of upsets me and concerns me, but at the same time I think for the overall good of New Jersey, it's a good thing," McNeil said.

In 2011 New Jersey voters by a wide margin approved a public question on allowing bets on team sports to be placed at racetracks and casinos.

But of all the potential betting sites, only Monmouth Park is ready for action. The track has a year-old partnership with British bookmaking giant William Hill, with the two entities investing $1 million in construction of an on-site sports betting bar.

Bill sponsor Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth) said, "I am pleased that our legislation removing state prohibitions on sports betting was signed into law so quickly. Monmouth Park has been preparing for this to happen and is poised to start taking bets in the upcoming days."

Kyrillos said the revenue "will provide a financial lifeline that will help protect jobs at Monmouth Park and Atlantic City casinos. The legislation was drafted based on guidance from federal courts, and we trust it will stand up to any future challenge."

Jordan and Edelson write for mycentraljersey.com, a Gannett affiliate.

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