According to published reports, the New Jersey State Legislature voted as expected Thursday to legalize sports betting in the Garden State. The development comes after last month's landmark Supreme Court decision that struck down the federal law banning wagering on sports teams, and days after Delaware became the first state other than Nevada to start offering Las Vegas-style wagering.
It was unclear Thursday evening when facilities in New Jersey, including Monmouth Park, would begin taking bets. Governor Phil Murphy had not yet signed the bill, but a last-minute provision was made to allow wagers to be placed before Murphy officially signed off, as he is expected to.
Dennis Drazin, the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association advisor and attorney at the forefront of the push for legalized sports betting, told The New York Times he would wait for Governor Murphy's go-ahead before Monmouth took any sports wagers. “If it comes down to the governor telling me no, I'm going to do what the governor says,” he said of taking bets Friday.
The bill sets the legal age to place a sports wager at 21 (compared to 18 for horse bets), and an 8.5% tax on in-person wagers compared to 13% for bets made online or via mobile devices–online wagering will not be allowed until 30 days after the new law is signed by Murphy. The bill also specifically stipulates that no money will be paid to sports leagues, and bans the wagering on collegiate contests taking place within the state or involving New Jersey schools.
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