Big Day for New Jersey on Thursday, But Monday is Even Bigger
Scott Morris | June 23, 2017
Thursday turned out to be a very big day for New Jersey’s future with sports betting, as well as the rest of the U.S., but what happened will not be known until Monday.
On Thursday, the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court met to consider several cases to hear on appeal. Amongst those cases was the New Jersey sports betting case.
The highest court in the United State held a Thursday conference with one topic being if they would hear the appeal of ongoing federal litigation involving the state of New Jersey, which Governor Chris Christie is representing, and sports betting.
The state argues that it should have the right to allow sports betting in the state, something that PASPA, a federal law, prohibits. The state argues that PASPA violates the 10th Amendment, which is about state rights, and is therefore unconstitutional.
The plaintiffs in the case – the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and the NCAA do not want legalized sports betting in New Jersey or any other state for that matter, except for the four states already approved under PASPA.
On Monday, the Supreme Court will announce which of the petitions it will grant and which ones it will not. New Jersey is hoping the high court will hear its appeal.
If that is what happens, New Jersey’s case moves forward with more briefs being filed and eventually oral arguments before the court.
However, if the high court does not grant the petitions by New Jersey, the state must return to square one. A denial means the current case as we know it is over and there will be no legalize sports betting in New Jersey in the near future.
Options are available to the state if the petition is denied, but it would be an uphill battle. However, the state would prefer to move forward and have the opportunity to present its case to SCOTUS.
If New Jersey is granted the petition and it comes out victorious it would change the U.S. sports betting landscape instantly, as more states immediately would try to have legislation passed to legalize sports betting and Congress would likely feel obliged to revisit the laws such as PASPA that govern sports betting in the U.S.
However, Thursday’s decision and Monday’s announcement is what matters most now.
