No need for voters

NEW Jersey finally heard what they had been longing… John Wefing told an Assembly panel he doesn’t believe voters need to approve Internet gambling in order to make it legal.

He said that existing laws give legislature and the governor the power to decide whether Atlantic City can allow gambling. According to The Wall Street Journal: “New Jersey wants to let its residents gamble online as long as they are within the state’s borders. But Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a law last year that would have done so, citing concern about its constitutionality.

A key question is whether having the computer servers in Atlantic City would satisfy state law requiring all casino gambling to take place in Atlantic City.

“It is permissible to expand gambling in Atlantic City if the gambling is actually taking place in Atlantic City,” Mr. Wefing testified.”

An amendment would be needed, however, if lawmakers were seeking to legalize gambling outside of Atlantic City, he said.

Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D-Essex), a former Atlantic City casino executive, said he wanted the issue to go before voters because he is concerned a non-vote would set a precedent that would “probably come back to us in another direction.”