New Jersey governor rejects online gambling bill

Friday, 08 Feb, 2013

The New Jersey state governor officially rejected the bill that would have allowed online gambling within the state. Chris Christie, NJ incumbent governor, vetoed the proposal, thus putting the state back in the long queue of US regions where online gambling is forbidden.

Chris Christie stated that a few amendments on the bill would make the proposal a better candidate for approval in the near future. The governor suggested that a ten-year online gaming bill with higher taxes would be legally and economically more attractive for the state.

The current gaming bill proposed a 10% tax rate on casino revenues. Christie insisted on 15% as the proper tax rate for casinos’ online revenues.

Senator Raymond Lesniak, one of the main supporters of the gambling bill, declared that the proposed changes could be easily made, and a new bill would be delivered for revision in the near future.

New Jersey land-based casinos have reported declining revenues during recent years. A new gambling bill would allow them to develop betting sites and expand their market share.

Local NJ senators are struggling to find a way for saving local casinos from going bankrupt and for developing an online gambling market that would boost the state’s economy.

Senator Lesniak pointed out, New Jersey will now have an opportunity to be the Silicon Valley of Internet gaming and reap the huge economic benefits that will flow into the state.

Hundreds of jobs provided by NJ land-based casinos could be lost if the bill is once more rejected.