Monmouth to Begin Sports Wagering Oct. 26
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Following approval by Gov. Chris Christie, Monmouth Park is to begin offering and accepting wagers on sporting contests and athletic events Oct. 26 at the New Jersey racetrack.
"We thank Governor Christie for his leadership on this issue," said Dennis Drazin, advisor to Darby Development, operators of Monmouth Park.
"The New Jersey horse racing industry and the associated agriculture support services is a $1 billion industry and is responsible for 13,000 jobs in the Garden State, as well as the open spaces and green acres that are the direct result of horse racing," Drazin said. "The Governor's signature on S2460 earlier today is a wire-to-wire winner for horse racing, the gaming industry, and the people of New Jersey."
In 2011, Garden State voters decided they no longer wanted New Jersey laws that made it illegal to engage in sports betting at Atlantic City casinos and at the state's racetracks. After two years of litigation in the federal courts, a definitive interpretation as to the scope and meaning of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was handed down.
In that decision, the court stated that it does "not read PASPA to prohibit New Jersey from repealing its ban on sports wagering." The court went on to state that "it is left up to each state to decide how much of a law enforcement priority it wants to make of sports gambling, or what the exact contours of the prohibition will be."
Following a vote in the New Jersey Senate of 27-1 Oct. 14 and in the General Assembly, 73-4, Christie signed the sports betting bill, thus paving the way for Atlantic City casinos and New Jersey's racetracks to commence immediately.
"I want to express our thanks and gratitude to the entire New Jersey Legislature," said Drazin. "We can't wait to welcome new fans to the racetrack as we embark on this exciting new era in the long and storied history of Monmouth Park."