New Jersey Give Gaming Bill Final Approval

The 20th December saw good news at last coming from the Garden State when New Jersey lawmakers gave intrastate online gambling the go ahead. It's just the start of the process and of course there's a lot of work to do to make it a reality but at least now the bill has been passed and it's over to the operators who we are sure are waiting in line to get a slice of what could be a pretty lucrative market. If things go smoothly from here on we could see the first legal online gambling within the state by April. Governor Christie opposed the bill 2 years ago but amendments were made and the vote flew through 33 for and just the 3 against. The bill itself puts New Jersey in prime position to become home of licensing across the States and in fact other nations and will bring in much needed tax revenue from this multi-billion dollar industry giving the state, in the wake of Storm Sandy a much needed economic boost. In a statement, Senator Bill Lesniak said, "By allowing casinos to tap into the burgeoning trend of internet wagering, we can put New Jersey at the forefront of this lucrative gaming market and give our casinos the competitive edge they need in the current economic climate". New Jersey is already looking into the future and taking the states Powerball lottery as an example is looking to form multi-state compacts as well as considering allowing international players in on the action, from legal jurisdictions. It's good news all round and observers are starting to hope that other states take New Jersey as an example when considering internet gambling.