New Jersey has enacted a law legalizing sports betting, but the federal ban must be overcome before Atlantic City casinos and the state's four horse tracks can take bets on professional and college sporting events.
Voters in a nonbinding referendum in November indicated by a 2-1 ratio that they wanted legal sports betting in New Jersey.
"Legalizing sports betting would strengthen Atlantic City in the face of stiff competition, giving it an additional edge to attract visitors and critical tourism dollars," LoBiondo said.
His Sports Gaming Opportunity Act would give the states that do not offer sports betting until Jan. 1, 2016, to pass laws authorizing it. The deadline extension is the only change LoBiondo would make to the 1992 law.
LoBiondo had considered a bill similar to Pallone's. He also weighed a bill that would have repealed the 1992 law. But he settled on the current bill as the most likely to make it through Congress.
Pallone said the federal ban on all but four states is unfair because it treats states differently.
"The existing federal law is unconstitutional and arbitrary, giving four states access to this billion-dollar industry while shutting out the rest," Pallone said. "The citizens of New Jersey have made it clear they want the opportunity to share in the profits from professional sports betting."
Gov. Christie, a Republican who signed New Jersey's sports-betting law last week, said he would be happy if either bill were approved.
"Whatever approach can get through Congress, fine by me. They both sound like they would help us get done what we want to get done," he said.
