Online Poker debate in New Jersey

BILLS that would give the green light to online poker are at the heart of a debate today in New Jersey. Governor Christie passed bills last year, citing “legal and constitutional concerns.”

He said that it was more or less impossible to deem that all bets originated from Atlantic City, as residents have the freedom to gamble online all over the state. He said that it was “legal fiction” to deem that all bets originated from there.

According to the state Constitution, no gambling can be conducted outside of Atlantic City except betting on horse racing and buying lottery tickets. That could mean that a state referendum would have to be passed in November to broaden the definition of permitted gambling in the state.

The amended online poker bills attempt to address Christie’s reservations.

This all became murky in December when the Department of Justice clarified that states – including New York and Illinois, which had filed papers seeking that clarification – were not prohibited from selling online lottery tickets in spite of the federal Wire Act of 1961. The ruling was that only online sports betting was prohibited under that law.

The northjersey.com reported that a week later, Christie said of online poker that “New Jersey should be in that business” – and that he would work with state Sen. Ray Lesniak, D-Union, the issue’s leading proponent, to come to an agreement.

The new bills eliminate the provision that the horse racing industry could receive a purse subsidy from online gambling – a tenet that Christie opposes.