New Jersey moved one step closer to legalizing online gambling on Thursday when Governor Chris Christie issued a conditional veto on an online gaming bill that was passed by an overwhelming margin in both the New Jersey State Legislature and the State Senate. While a veto is generally the end of a bill, New Jersey laws allow the Governor to “conditionally veto” a bill and send that bill back to the legislature with his recommendations.
Christie was quoted as saying, “With these goals in mind, I have concluded that now is the time for our State to move forward, again leading the way for the nation, by becoming one of the first States to permit Internet gaming. I authorize this step towards modernizing Atlantic City’s entertainment attractions cautiously, with carefully constructed limitations that will ensure the highest integrity and the most robust oversight.”
The bill in question would make it legal for New Jersey residents to play online poker and participate in other forms of online gaming.
According to the pressofatlanticcity.com, Christie sent a 31-page statement back to the legislature outlining the reasons for his conditional veto, and what changes the legislature will need to make for the bill to be signed into law. The most noticeable changes would be:
- Taxing Internet gambling providers at 15% instead of the 10% in the current bill
- Better funding and more focus on problem gamblers
- Limiting the bill to 10 years, at which point New Jersey lawmakers could reevaluate the bill or let it sunset
State Senator Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) was the author of the original bill that was passed in December and has been the biggest proponent of internet gambling in the state for a number of years –Lesniak and the New Jersey legislature passed a similar bill last year; a bill that met with Chris Christie’s veto pen. Lesniak was encouraged by the governor’s move this time around, and was quoted as saying, “The good Lord be willing, I’ll still be here in 10 years to re-enact it,” adding, “This brings new hope and life to Atlantic City where there frankly was none,” According to Lesniak, he and other lawmakers would agree to the recommendations.
Upon the bill’s passage it’s likely that the deal between PokerStars and the Atlantic Club Casino on the famed Atlantic City Boardwalk would be finalized, paving the way for the online giant’s return to the US market.
New Jersey would be just the third state to pass online poker legislation, following Nevada and Delaware, and would be by far the largest market. Of course, the bill is not finalized, and as we have seen over the past few years, outcomes in the political arena can never be taken for granted.
We’ll keep you posted as this story continues to develop.
DoDaOliphant
when do you expect pokerstars to be up and running? and would jersey residents have access to the entire pokerstars player pool?