Judge blocks New Jersey sports betting

Posted by Mike Florio on October 24, 2014, 5:02 PM EDT
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Well, if you’d wagered that a federal judge would block New Jersey’s plan to trot out sports wagering this weekend, it’s time to collect.

Per multiple reports, Judge Michael Shipp has granted a temporary restraining order preventing New Jersey from implementing a plan to launch sports betting this weekend at racetracks and casinos.

The order presumably will last until the litigation filed by the NFL and other sports leagues on Monday is resolved.  Which probably will result in a ruling that New Jersey’s plan cannot proceed.

The NFL long has opposed the expansion of legalized sports betting.  This is Round Two with New Jersey, which failed in a prior effort to circumvent a 1992 federal law aimed at stopping new states from adding sports wagering.

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62 responses to “Judge blocks New Jersey sports betting”

  8. The NFL claims irreparable harm will be inflicted to the league by sports betting.

    The NFL claims the temptation of players to fix games is an issue like it was back when players earned less than a garbage man – but then the NFL lobbied congress to allow gambling on fantasy football, a substantially easier forum for players to influence.

    How a judge ever fell for such hypocritical nonsense is beyond me.

    Get out of our lives you big government authoritarians.

  9. The NFL is in many ways the very definition of hypocracy. They are worried about the effect gambling with have on the purity of the sport. while know ing full well the sport is far from pure on many levels and were it not for gamblers, both illegal and legal there wouldn’t be much an an audience for their 3 hour commercial presentations-

  11. This great nation that allows guns that lead to school massacres, but not betting on football!

  13. “How a judge ever fell for such hypocritical nonsense is beyond me.”

    The judge didn’t fall for anything. They just weighed whether they wanted sports betting in NJ or that nice monetary donation they were promised

  14. This is such a joke. What ever happened to states rights? Why does this “not for profit” NFL have any say over what a state does? Deep pockets and some high ranking relationships going on here. Sickening…

  17. The NFL is against sports gambling… didn’t think it was possible but they are even dumber than I previously thought.

    Sports betting and Fantasy football are the only reason it is so popular to begin with.

    With the amount of penalties, and refs deciding the outcome of the majority of the games… why do you think people still watch???

  18. This is disgusting.

    Thousands of people of losing their jobs as the New Jersey casino industry flounders, and this judge continues to cow down to the pro leagues he obviously worships.

    The injunction is based upon the idea the NFL and other leagues would suffer “irreparable harm” if sports betting was allowed in NJ. Do you know what would cause “irreparable harm” to the NFL?

    If people STOPPED betting on it.

  21. You’re a lawyer, Florio. How does the NFL have standing in this case? The league will not be affected one way or another whether I go to a bookie or the internet or a shiny building in Atlantic City to place my bets.

    Is this just an example of a multibillion dollar organization chasing the last dime under the guise of moral rectitude?

    If so, the NFL, with its concussion denialism and tacit approval of PEDs and domestic violence (until it hurts the bottom line, of course) is a joke.

    Mark Cuban is laughing.

  22. Legal gambling is inevitable. Just like pot.

    In case you hadn’t noticed, this country is going bankrupt. States need revenue.

    Nobody is voting for any Democrat who proposes a tax hike on Nov 5th. States are looking under the couch cushions and they find sports gambling.

  25. Yep, NFL just wants to get paid. Another spineless judge gets in the way of progress. Thousands get to bet the NFL in London this weekend, the same place where the NFL can’t wait to move teams and is hosting multiple games this year. Hypocrites. Just wondering when the media will finally call them out on it?

  26. Don Corleone: I said that I would see you because I had heard that you were a serious man, to be treated with respect. But I must say no to you and let me give you my reasons. It’s true I have a lot of friends in politics, but they wouldn’t be so friendly if they knew my business was drugs instead of gambling which they consider a harmless vice. But drugs, that’s a dirty business.

  27. ufanforreal says:
    Oct 24, 2014 5:08 PM
    Dammit, Vegas is the only state the NFL wants to share with.
    ———————————————————-
    You could bet on NFL games in Delaware.

  28. No gambling on NFL football…But you best have that injury report out an hour and a half before kickoff so the gamblers know which team to bet on.

  30. ufanforreal says:
    Oct 24, 2014 5:08 PM
    Dammit, Vegas is the only state the NFL wants to share with.
    ———————————————————-
    You could bet on NFL games in Delaware.
    ______________________

    There is a big difference in being able to bet parlay cards only in Delaware while you can bet single-games in Nevada. Parlay cards are fun but winning 5 out of 6 games means you are a loser. Winning 5 of 6 straight bets is more realistic than a parlay card (although anyone that tells you they consistently win 5 out of 6 is lying) and you would win money in that scenario. You can’t walk into Delaware Park on Monday Night because it is only one game. That stinks, plain and simple. Much better to be able to get down on the single game.

  31. No wonder there remains a divide, an “east coast/west coast” thing. I mean, how in the world is this legal in Vegas but not Jersey? Can’t some judge not get paid off by the NFL?

    And since most of this money is being bet anyway, bookies, friends, how exactly is the NFL injured?

  32. There was a law passed in 1992 that outlawed gambling. The states that already had gambling or sports lotteries were exempt. The gave Jersey an opportunity to get on board, but they failed to do so.

    From Wikipedia (I know, but its pretty accurate in this case):

    The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (Pub.L. 102–559), also known as the “Bradley Act,” attempts to define the legal status of sports betting throughout the United States. This act effectively outlawed sports betting nationwide, excluding a few states.

    The sports lotteries conducted in Oregon, Delaware, and Montana were exempt, as well as the licensed sports pools in Nevada. In addition, Congress provided a one-year window of opportunity from the effective date of PASPA (January 1, 1993) for states which operated licensed casino gaming for the previous ten-year period to pass laws permitting sports wagering. The latter exception was clearly crafted with New Jersey in mind. However, New Jersey failed to take advantage of this opportunity and carve out an exception for itself. Also excluded from the reach of PASPA are jai alai and parimutuel horse and dog racing.

  34. @madmax:

    So what? They gave NJ a one year window to exempt themselves from an unconstitutional law and the powers that be in the state government at the time passed, mostly because they were in the pockets of organized crime, which was making tens of millions of dollars on illegal gambling at the time?

    Why would that bear any relevance to a state’s efforts 21 years later to assert their rights under the 10th Amendment to the US Constitution?

  35. Realitypolice:

    If they can prove the law unconstitutional, then the can have sports betting.

    However, that law is currently on the books and is the current obstacle.

    I am not dis agreeing with you. I’m just stating the facts.

    I think a state with casinos that borders Nevada could argue that its is unconstitutional and violates fair trade. Say if casinos in Tahoe, CA said that the casinos in Tahoe, NV had an unfair advantage. I think that would be a good case.

  36. Unbelievable. The NFL sends 3 games to England, where the whole country can bet on them, and is thinking about putting a franchise, yet the gambling going on there is not going to “harm the game”?

    The NFL clearly thinks its customers are the dumbest creatures on the planet.
    Shame on the NFL and this judge…

  37. I’m not sure if they can use the 10th amendment cuz this can be seen as a type of commerce and industry regulation and the Federal govt does have the power to do that over the states.

  38. If the NFL is so hellbent on preventing sports gambling then why do they insist on having an injury report? Why did the lobby for the fantasy football exemption?

  39. Madmax:

    No offense intended. Everyone knows what the law is. Judges are not bound to simply enforce laws. They have the power to declare them unconstitutional. No one supporting sports gambling in NJ, no matter what they say, is counting on the bill to be upheld on the basis that it complies with the law. They are hoping to find a judge who cares about the Constitution.

    And the Commerce clause applies only to INTERSTATE commerce. If only NJ residents are allowed to bet on games in NJ casinos, there is no interstate commerce to regulate. It doesn’t matter where the games are played.

  40. “madmax80 says: Oct 24, 2014 6:29 PM

    Realitypolice:

    If they can prove the law unconstitutional, then the can have sports betting.

    However, that law is currently on the books and is the current obstacle.”

    the issue is the NFL shouldn’t even have the standing to enforce this law.

    the federal government told new jersey they wouldn’t be enforcing PASPA in the previous lawsuit – and it was at least partly due to this claim of non-enforcement that claim that the judge declined to rule the law unconstitutional.

    the league/government are trying to have their cake and eat it too.

  42. NJ should go ahead and do it anyway. The Fed’s aren’t going to come storming down on casino’s during an election year. It wouldn’t look good.

  43. You can’t take money from one Mafia family and share with another unless somebody gets wacked. Lufthansa was nothing compared to how the mob controls the NFL.

    (deletes account)

  44. Realitypolice:

    I hope they allow betting and I hope you are correct.

    I’ll be the first one in line at my local Hard Rock Casino to bet on football.

  46. You all assume the NFL are the only ones behind the injunction. The people who will suffer the most from NJ taking bets, are The Bookies. A threat from The Mob carries more weight then the NFL.

  49. ok guys be honest. havent you thought for years now, that there is rigging going on in some of these games? 2 or 3 well placed interference or roughing the passer calls with 90 seconds left can absolutely swing a game. seems odd that when a team is up 14 with the spread at 12 1/2 and 14 seconds left and the other team scores a garbage td and presto chango your team doesnt cover. something seems way fishy to me.

  50. Ok, call me stupid, but how can gambling be legal in Atlantic City but banned everywhere else in NJ?
    ——————————————————–

    I wouldn’t call you stupid, but it is a county law that passed at the right time. Just like prostitution is legal in Nevada everywhere except Henderson County (Las Vegas).

  51. The Federal Government should not be meddling in individual states business…each state should be able to decide for themselves on sports gambling…and just about everything else. At least I believe that was the original intent of this whole thing

  55. I bet this goes through. How can an entity like the NFL stop betting. Its not there business. Think of all the great job creations. Think of all the money to be made and taxes to be paid on earnings. Hey, haven’t they heard of the lottery.

  56. NFL is like the Mafia of the 1960’s. They get what they want.not saying its a bad thing. for the most part.Gambling in NFL cities will really ruin the sport.Keep that crap in Vegas and in ur main watering hole.

  57. The NFL should lose their tax exempt status if they feel the betting will hurt the integrity.

  58. it was obvious the denver-SD game was fixed. with denv about to score, SD intercepted in the SD endzone. but 1-2 seconds before the int, a SD def back allegedly committed a penalty on a denv receiver. but the flag wasn’t thrown til the ball was intercepted. that is as dirty as it gets. and the complicit TV announcers said nothing.

  59. This great nation that allows guns that lead to school massacres, but not betting on football!
    ————————————-

    Guns lead to school massacres?

    I thought maniacs overflowing with mind-altering anti-depressants and absentee parents lead to school massacres.

    And here it was the gun’s idea all along…

    /d.e.r.p.
    //apples meet oranges armed with peelers.
    ///give that kid another Prozac

  61. The NFL’s hypocrisy is despicable. NJ’s gaming industry is dying. Tens of thousands of jobs have been lost and this would be a jolt to the economy. I hope the same people who threaten boycotts of NFL sponsors over other issues are galvanized to organize a boycott of NFL sponsors until the NFL drops it’s hypocritical, greedy objections to this economic jolt. Gambling from Vegas to bookies to office pools to fantasy football is the biggest factor in the NFL’s growth.

  62. The NFL does not want a regulated body that they do not control (like they do Vegas) pointing out to them that their referees are involved in the fixing of games (which is happening each week as it does in college).

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