NJ Senators write to Governor that Delay in I-Gaming Bill will not help the state

A number of Democrats alongside Stephen Sweeney, the President of the New Jersey Senate, were urging Christie, Governor of the State, for signing the legislation, which would have legalized online gambling at dozen casinos located across Atlantic City by New Year’s Day. However, it is highly likely that it is going to happen in the near future as well.

On Monday, there was no public schedule for Christie and he didn’t sign any bill. Again, there was no schedule on Tuesday either. Again, when the press tried to contact his office on Monday, nobody commented on this situation.

Now, it is believed that the waiting game persisted by the lawmakers, which forced them to the drawing board last year after the bill was vetoed by the governor in 2011, is going to start again on the internet gambling bill. However, if there is any good news on this aspect, it will still make the Garden State to be the first in US, which will be offering internet gambling.

Similar to 2011, Internet Gaming Bill passed the Assembly and the Senate in previous month with massive support. This is why Sweeney alongside Jeff Van Drew, Raymond J. Lesniak and Jim Whelan (all NJ Senators) had written to the governor last week for taking quick action against this.

They wrote, “With the current situation of the casino, especially after the impact it had to go through following the Hurricane Sandy, we are not in a position to delay the move for implementing the bill. Again, with many states making quick progress in implementing the bill, it would be unwise to wait for this any longer. There is no doubt with the potential in Atlantic City to become an Internet Gambling hub. This is going to bring more jobs in the state alongside more revenues from its casino to the government. This will help in generating funds for critical programs running in the state. There are high chances that if taken at the right time, this move is going to alter the picture of gambling industry in the state for good.”

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