Politics & Government

Gov. Christie Taking Sports Gambling Fight to Federal Supreme Court

The state has until mid-February to file the case.

Gov. Chris Christie is prepared to take the question of whether sports gambling should be legalized all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, nj.com reports.

The state has until the middle of February to appeal the question to the Supreme Court after he signed the bill into law last year following a referendum, according to the report.

The argument centers on the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, which the state has labeled as unconstitutional because it limits sports betting to four states, according to the report.

Find out what's happening in Gallowaywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The state says the act violates the 10th amendment by forcing states to ban sports betting. The amendment allows states to regulate when the federal government doesn’t.

They also say the act “commandeers” the State Legislature, a claim the U.S 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals has already denied, according to the report. In a 2-1 vote in June, the court said the federal government is not commandeering the state because it is not requiring it to do anything.

Find out what's happening in Gallowaywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A petition for a rehearing was denied, and it isn’t likely the Supreme Court will hear the case, according to the report.

The NCAA and the professional sports leagues oppose sports gambling, saying it would irreparably harm athletic competition in America.

The four states in which sports gambling is currently legal are Delaware, Montana, Nevada and Oregon.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here