News

Sunday, 05 December 2010 10:54

While the rest of the United States remains undecided, the State of New Jersey comes closer to being the first state to make online gambling legal.

The Bill introduced by Senator Ray Lesniak that aims to legalise online gambling in all its forms was voted on earlier in the week and was given a 29-5 thumbs up by the State Senate. Its main agenda is to allow New Jersey residents and those visiting the state the right to gamble freely at online casinos that have their servers located specifically in Atlantic City.

With the proposed relaxation in the rules come some necessary restrictions. The major one of these being that anyone outside the state may not participate in gambling activities offered by those websites. Senator Lesnaik’s bill outlines which types of online gambling will be allowed. Games include poker, blackjack, roulette, craps, slots, baccarat and mini baccarat, big six wheel, red dog, sic bo and pai gow. It also includes all variations and composites of those games so long as those games and their variations and composites listed are offered via Internet wagering. Lesnaik’s bill comes with the inclusion of a gross revenue taxation levy of 15 percent for such websites.

All casinos that will be legally allowed to offer online gambling services within New Jersey will operate and be licensed in Atlantic City. It can be seen by this that the bill was primarily formed to revive Atlantic City's flagging casino industry. In addition to Lesnaik’s bill, another separate bill has also gained Senate approval which will allow for the opening of smaller casinos with as few as 200 rooms. This will supersede the current minimum requirement of 500 rooms.

If the bill is passed, the industry will certainly get a boost in that city while foreign online casino operators will be squeezed out as they will be prohibited from marketing or attracting players resident in New Jersey. However, online casinos licensed in the state will be allowed to sign up foreign players from other countries where online gambling is legal, such as those in most of Europe.

Senator Lesnaik is reported to be fairly confident in the chances that his bill, the fate of which will now have to await the decision of the State's Governor Chris Christie, is set to be signed into law. Not only that, but he expects the Governor will have little option but to get it signed before the year's end.