Betting on Federal Repeal

Gov. Chris Christie signed a bill legalizing sports betting in New Jersey, but the move would take effect only if a federal ban on such gambling is reversed.

New Jersey must win a court challenge to a federal law that makes sports betting illegal in all but four states.

The bill Christie signed last week had overwhelming approval in both the House and the Senate. It would legalize betting on college and professional sporting events at Atlantic City casinos and the state’s four horseracing tracks.

“This is the beginning of the end for unfair, discriminatory, and unwise federal bans on sports betting,” Sen. Raymond Lesniak, D-Elizabeth, told the Associated Press.

Garden State voters favored the action by a 2-to-1 margin in a nonbinding referendum in November.

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