- Senator Lesniak does not know exactly what Governor Christie will do, but on Tuesday he suggested that “most expect Governor Christie to veto the bill on Thursday, or at best issue a conditional veto.”
- Lesniak said that people who thought that a federal online poker bill was going to get approved in the last session or in the recent lame duck session do not understand how things work in Washington.
- A senior analyst for Wells Fargo estimates that Internet gambling in Atlantic City “could increase casino revenue by $650 million to $850 million in its first year.”
All eyes are on New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to see whether Atlantic City casinos will soon be able to offer their casino games, including poker, over the Internet. In December 2012, “An Act Authorizing Internet Gaming at Atlantic City Casinos under Certain Circumstances” (A2578; S1565) was passed by the Senate and General Assembly, and it has been sitting on Governor Christie’s desk ever since.
Governor Christie must make his decision by this Thursday, February 7. Proponents of Internet gaming in New Jersey have been urging Governor Christie to allow Atlantic City casinos to offer real money casino games to players over the Internet since Governor Christie vetoed a similar bill in 2011. New Jersey Senator Raymond Lesniak, one of the sponsors of the legislation, pulled no punches and pleaded with Governor Christie to sign the bill.
“Governor Christie, if you are listening, if you have a heart or a pulse, sign the bill,” Senator Lesniak urged on Tuesday morning during an Internet gambling conference at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City. Similar to recent buzz heard elsewhere, Senator Lesniak does not know exactly what Governor Christie will do, but on Tuesday he suggested that “most expect Governor Christie to veto the bill on Thursday, or at best issue a conditional veto.”People who thought that a federal online poker bill was going to get approved in the last session or in the recent lame duck session do not understand how things work in Washington.
Under New Jersey law, there are several options available to Governor Christie as to how he can deal with the bill and the upcoming deadline. First, he could let the deadline pass and take no action. Alternatively, he could veto it completely or offer a conditional veto, or sign the bill into law. Given the Governor’s penchant for the spotlight, it is unlikely he will let the deadline pass without taking some form of public action.
If, however, he prefers to shy away from the Internet gambling spotlight, and he lets the deadline pass without taking any action, then the bill will automatically become law. If he vetoes the bill, the legislative process would have to start all over again. If a conditional veto is offered by the Governor, then it will mean that the Governor objects to parts of the bill and will have proposed amendments that would make it acceptable for his approval. If the Legislature were to re-enact the bill with the recommended amendments, then it would need to be presented for Governor Christie’s signature again.
Of course, if Governor Christie signs the bill into law on Thursday, this legislation would authorize all forms of gambling, including poker, that are offered at Atlantic City casinos to be offered online. Per the requirements of the New Jersey Constitution (Article IV, Section VII, paragraph 2), all of the equipment, including servers, would be located in Atlantic City casinos. The legislation makes this clear by stating, “All Internet wagers shall be deemed to be placed when received in Atlantic City by the licensee. Any intermediate routing of electronic data in connection with a wager shall not affect the fact that the wager is placed in Atlantic City.”
