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New Jersey Online Gambling Bill Clears Committee, Moves To Full Senate

Posted on June 5th, 2010

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A Senate bill on online gaming, authored by Sen. Ray Lesniak, D-Union, has cleared a Senate committee and is now making for the full Senate. The bill, S-490 made it through the Senate Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee by a 3 to 1 vote Thursday. It seeks to authorize the eleven casinos in Atlantic City to offer Internet gambling through their Web sites. The bill would allow all the games offered at Atlantic City casinos, such as craps, poker, baccarat, blackjack and all other games to be available on the Internet for all residents of New Jersey.

Sen. Lesniak said that with legalized intrastate online gaming, the people of New Jersey can freely and legally gamble on the Internet. He said about $150 million a year are said to be wagered by the roughly 500,000 New Jersey residents who play on online poker sites. The state would oversee the gambling sites and would levy a 20 percent tax rate. Lesniak says the bill would be able to raise huge revenues and give rise to the creation of thousands of jobs. He said more businesses would also be encouraged to invest in Atlantic City which would improve the economy of the state.

Lesniak said that the availability of legal Internet gaming in the state would be a source of new revenue for Atlantic City estimated to be between $275 million and $335 million a year, and approximately $60 million to $70 million in annual revenue for the state. New employment would number between 2,100 and 2,400. Lesniak said that New Jersey’s economy depends largely on the progress of Atlantic City’s casinos. By allowing the casinos to offer Internet gaming, there would be more business for the casinos that would ensure the city maintains its lead in the gambling industry in the region.

Under Lesniak’s proposal, a Division of Internet Wagering would be created by the Casino Control Commission, which would have the authority to manage and control the online gaming run by the city’s casinos. Before licensed casinos can launch their Web sites, they would have to be granted a valid permit to operate by the Commission. The Commission has first to verify whether the casino has submitted all legal and regulatory requirements before issuing the permit, which is good for one year. The casinos must also present their software and other gaming equipment to the Division for inspection and to make sure that technical standards are strictly observed. It would be the task of the casinos to see that the operation of online gaming is efficient and well-organized by applying company rules and policies and safety measures.

The gambling operators would be charged an annual fee of $100,000 for the permit. Proceeds would be used to fund rehabilitation and counselling programs for compulsive gamblers. An economist with the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association said New Jersey could be the first state to offer legalized Internet gambling if it acts fast. Dan Orla said Florida and California already have online gambling bills filed in their Legislature. He said the industry is growing, and the first state to successfully introduce Internet gaming will have the upper hand.

IMEGA chief executive Joe Brennan projects online gambling to yield more or less $200 million in new revenue and would produce 1,500 high-tech jobs to South Jersey. Sen. Lesniak said that in recent years, New Jersey’s gambling industry has faced intimidating competition from all directions, a situation never before encountered by the state. He said Atlantic City must remain competitive and by taking dynamic steps in venturing into a new field of gambling, New Jersey continues to lead in the gaming industry.