New Jersey Online Poker Bill Could Hit Road Block
News that real estate mogul Donald Trump is looking to team up with online gambling powerhouse 888 Holdings to bring regulated “real money” Web card rooms to the US could become muted later Tuesday as a measure to legalize the industry in New Jersey will face a tough challenge in the state Senate.
John Brennan of NorthJersey.com explains:
The online poker bill is one of only two being considered today by the state Budget and Appropriations Committee. That 13-member group is chaired by state Sen. Paul Sarlo, D-Wood-Ridge, the representative for the district that includes the Meadowlands Sports Complex.
This bill is sponsored by state Sens. Ray Lesniak, D-Union, and James Whelan, D-Atlantic. Sarlo and Whelan are not always in sync, even though both generally back expanding gambling in the state.
Sarlo – the leading proponent for construction of a casino in the Meaowlands – tends to be leery of measures that he sees as being too Atlantic City-centric. For instance, he likely would look to see that the Meadowlands Racetrack be a specific beneficiary of online poker legislation, perhaps with “betting rooms” permitted for such purposes.
As things stand now, the horse racing industry in New Jersey is less than thrilled over its diminished role in an amended bill. Lobbyists have cried foul as Lesniak has promised to do whatever he can to appease this powerful group.
And it’s not just Sarlo potentially standing in the way of this bill getting pushed through.
Brennan notes that the vice chair of the committee is Brian Stack of Hudson County who may be a Democrat but is also a reliable backer of Governor Chris Christie. That could be a good thing for the industry, however, his views on the Internet gambling measure at this time appear murky at best.
Republican Jennifer Beck of Monmouth County still has Monmouth Park in her blood, from what Brennan tells us, even though the racetrack is no longer in her district.
- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
