The New Jersey General Assembly issued a resolution on January 23 urging President Donald Trump, his administration and Congress to oppose any measures that would prohibit iGaming.
The New Jersey General Assembly issued a resolution on January 23 urging President Donald Trump, his administration and Congress to oppose any measures that would prohibit iGaming.
AJR137, introduced by Assemblyman Vincent Mazzeo, a Democrat, states:
“The Legislature of the State of New Jersey urges United States President Donald Trump, President Trump’s administration, and Congress to oppose any federal measures and actions to prohibit the transmission by wire communication of any bet or wager or of information assisting in the placement of any bet or wager, including Internet gaming.
“A federal prohibition against Internet gaming would directly and negatively impact New Jersey by dismantling the investments that the State and Atlantic City casinos have already made to implement and regulate Internet gaming, taking away the economic and employment opportunities already realized by the State and its residents, and foreclosing the future potential of Internet gaming to generate tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue, create high-tech software jobs, and foster valuable business ventures for Atlantic City casinos in this State.”
Read the full resolution here.
Eliminating New Jersey’s online gaming industry could cost the state more than $29.5 million in tax revenue, thousands of jobs and a huge investment by the state and casino operators, USPoker.com reports.
The resolution is likely the result of Trump’s Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions saying earlier this month that he was “shocked” by the U.S. Department of Justice’s 2011 legal opinion allowing regulated online gaming in the U.S.
“I did oppose the DOJ ruling when it happened, and it seemed to me to be unusual,” the Alabama Senator said, adding that he would revisit the opinion.