Expensive Battle: NJ Spends $2.8m in Fight to Legalize Sportsbetting

The state of New Jersey has reportedly paid a law firm $2.8 million to fight for the right to offer sports gambling, it was revealed by the Associated Press.  After the media group requested to see the public records, it was shown that the firm, Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher was paid the sum in a bid to help Governor Christie defend a lawsuit that was filed by the NCAA and four major sports leagues, for services rendered between August 2012 and the end of 2013.

Governor Christie has been fighting to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), a federal law introduced in 1992, which makes sports betting illegal in all but just four states (who opted out).  At the time New Jersey, like all other states, was given the opportunity not to fall under the act, but chose to opt in.  Now, Christie was to reverse the decision and already has a majority on the issue to change the state’s constitution.

Not everyone is on board with Christie’s plans to find a federal law, especially since he has been unsuccessful on his journey up until now and is waiting for his final shot – an announcement by the US Supreme Court that it will take up the case or not. The decision is expected to be made by the end of this month.

“We have an $800 million budget deficit,” noted Sen. Shirley Turner. “We don’t have the money to spend on something on which the odds were long. It could have been better spent for so many other things, to help people in the state who need the help.”