The American Gaming Association is "pushing to legalize" sports betting nationwide, citing the "billions of dollars bet illegally as an argument" for regulation, according to Jonathan Salant of the Newark STAR-LEDGER. The AGA, whose members include Caesars Entertainment and Borgata owners Boyd Gaming and MGM Resorts Int'l, estimated that $9.2B "was bet illegally" on last month's NCAA Tournament and $4.2B on Super Bowl 50. The AGA spent $340,000 on lobbying during the first three months of '16, after "spending $350,000 during the same period a year ago." Among the issues they lobbied on was New Jersey's appeal to the Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals "in order to allow sports betting in the state." On Wednesday the AGA "held a morning-long program on Capitol Hill to showcase how sports betting can be properly regulated, featuring officials from countries that already do it." N.J. Division of Gaming Enforcement Dir & Assistant Attorney General David Rebuck said that the state "already has drafted the necessary regulations for legal sports betting in Atlantic City" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 4/22).
