New Jersey’s Sports Betting Takes Another Loss
On Tuesday, August 9, 2016, the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the prohibition of sports gambling in New Jersey, ruling that the state’s 2014 attempt at legalizing the practice violated the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (“PASPA”), which prohibits sports gambling in all but four states (Nevada, Oregon, Montana, and Delaware).
Since January 2012, when Governor Chris Christie signed legislation that authorized the state to offer legal sports betting, the state has lost each battle it has waged with the four professional sports leagues (NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB), including its appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case.
The latest review came after New Jersey asked that the entire Third Circuit panel hear its argument (en banc hearing); unfortunately, the Third Circuit sided with the NCAA in a 10-to-2 vote.
You can find ESPN’s take on this decision here.