Federal Lawsuit Seeks to Legalize Sports Betting
A lawsuit filed in federal court by New Jersey State Senator Raymond Lesniak, D-Elizabeth, seeks to change 1992's Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. The law makes it illegal to place sports bets in all but four states, those being Nevada, Oregon, Montana and Delaware.
At the crux of Lesniak's lawsuit is the assertion that the law is unconstitutional, as it gives the four states special treatment.
Lesniak has been a suporter of legalized sports betting in the past, having been a sponsor of state bill S143 in New Jersey, which sought to "permit in-person wagering at casinos on results of professional sports events, subject to voter approval."
Lesniak believes the legalization of sports betting is an untapped source of tax revenue the governemnt is missing out on — a belief share by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., who is considered the champion of sports bettors in the federal government.
"Gambling is going on here, sports gambling," Lesniak told the Associated Press. "Rather than supporting thousands of jobs, economic activity and tourism, the federal ban supports offshore operators and organized crime."
Estimates on the amount of revenue raised by legalized sports gambling range from $700 million to $4 billion annually. With the current economic crisis, it's a safe bet that Lesniak and Frank might have a few more allies than normal.
