New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie Thursday said that there "will be sports gambling this fall” and “seemingly challenged federal authorities who might try to enforce" the ban that prohibits sports gambling in nearly every state, according to Hoa Nguyen of the ATLANTIC CITY PRESS. Christie said, “We would expect those rules to be enacted this fall, in October or November and for sports gambling to come here to Atlantic City.” Earlier this year, the governor “signed a bill authorizing sports gambling,” and this week his administration “will submit regulations that would allow sports bets to be taken in the state before the year ends.” However, Christie said that officials “are expecting a legal challenge." He said, “May we have to go through some litigation to get there? Probably, but I think we’ll be successful” (ATLANTIC CITY PRESS, 5/25). New Jersey state Sen. Ray Lesniak said that state officials “expect that the federal government and the NFL would try to block the move.” NFL VP/Communications Brian McCarthy said the league has a “long-held, unwavering opposition to gambling on NFL games” (Bergen RECORD, 5/25). Christie said, "We intend to go forward and allow sports betting to happen. If someone wants to stop us, then let them try to stop us." In New Jersey, Megan DeMarco notes supporters say that the state “is missing out on sorely needed revenue now going to off-shore Internet operations.” Christie said that “half of the licensing fees from places with sports betting would be used to finance treatment programs for compulsive gamblers” (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 5/25).
