Senator looking to legalise international online betting in NJ

nator in the US state of New Jersey is proposing to introduce a bill which would allow players in other jurisdictions where gambling is legal to place internet bets in New Jersey. Senator Raymond Lesniak told sources on Wednesday that the bill would allow international operators to base their operations in New Jersey and remove a pre-existing requirement that online gaming company’s computer servers operating in the city must also be located within Atlantic City. At present state law restricts internet gambling to people who are physically in New Jersey, but the proposed bill would extend this and allow other jurisdictions to pool their players with New Jersey and further expand both markets. This is the second time that Lesniak has proposed such a bill, with an almost identical piece of legislation being defeated in the senate in 2013. However, the market is very different since the state legalised online gambling in 2013 as positive effects of iGaming in the state of New Jersey are now being felt. Since its legalisation, iGaming in the state has grown steadily and online bets have become a crucial part of many Atlantic City casinos’ business models, with over $121m in online bets being taken in Atlantic City in the first six months of 2017 alone increasing by over 28% on the same period of 2016. In an interview with CNBC, Lesniak said: “I’ve changed my mission from making New Jersey the Silicon Valley of Internet gaming to the Mecca of Internet gaming,” “Online gaming has helped Atlantic City to revive its casino sector with a success that we can expand in ways that will generate more revenue, create jobs and fuel technological innovation in gaming.” Currently New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware are the only states that offer internet gambling, with New Jersey having the largest market among the three. Several other states are considering legalizing it, but are awaiting the results of a Supreme Court review, which is due to take place in October.