New Jersey made what could be a last-ditch effort to get sports betting legalized in the state on Wednesday, arguing its case in front of a 12-judge panel in the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia.
Hopes were high heading into the hearing, but notably less so after judges spent the better part of the hour-plus grilling the state’s attorneys.
At issue is whether New Jersey’s Sports Wagering Law violates the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, a federal law that prohibits state-sponsored betting. PASPA, as it’s commonly known, is supported by the NCAA and the four major North American professional sports leagues.
The two sides have been engaged in an ongoing legal battle since New Jersey governor Chris Christie first signed a sports betting bill into law in 2012. PASPA backers have won each court decision thus far, but legal experts believed New Jersey had its best shot when Wednesday’s en banc hearing request was granted in October.
The state may still get its way—a decision in the case isn’t expected for at least a couple of months—but the tone and content of the judges’ questioning fanned the flames of optimism.
A quick rundown of Wednesday’s news coverage:
- New Jersey state senator and sports betting supporter Raymond Lesniak told NJBiz.com, “I think it’s going to be a squeaker.” Contrast that with his pre-hearing sentiment via ESPN, “I expect to win.”
- Gaming attorney Daniel Wallach told NJ.com, “You could just see it on the faces of some of the judges. They were not buying what the state was selling.”
- Sports Illustrated has a thorough and relatively easy-to-digest breakdown of the key legal arguments involved on either side.
AROUND THE WEB
- The guy who created NYPD Blue and Deadwood lost his life savings—perhaps north of $100 million—betting on horses.
- Why does everybody hate DFS? This article gets to the root of it.
- What I learned losing $8,250 playing DFS in the fall of 2015. An even-handed first-person narrative in a sea of sensationalism.
- DraftKings tightens purse strings, significantly alters affiliate policy.
- Canada is reconsidering single-game sports betting legislation.
LOOK WHO’S TALKING
“I think we took advantage of an opportunity that was in front of us and really took DraftKings to the next level. And it created some noise, not surprisingly.”—DraftKings Chief Marketing Officer Janet Holian, continuing to insist that all those ads were a good idea.
TWEETS OF NOTE
Feel like it is appropriate that I place a bet on my phone while we debate the legality of sports betting in federal court.
— David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) February 17, 2016
Federal regulation of sports betting in U.S. seems to be the ultimate end. How long it takes to get us there is anyone’s guess. Mine: 2019 — David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) February 17, 2016
Don’t do it with ESPN. RT @ParrishWalton: What are the lessons @BillSimmons learned from running Grantland from a business perspective?
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) February 17, 2016
The Warriors (-120) now have better odds of winning the NBA championship than the field (+100). — Sports Insights (@SportsInsights) February 17, 2016
Cubs win total up 89 to 92 @atlantiscasino. Royals down 87 to 84.5. “No one has as much confidence in Royals as I do,” says S. Mikkelson.
— Jason Logan (@CoversJLo) February 18, 2016
ODDS & ENDS
- A company with ties to the largest cheating scandal in the history of online poker has been conditionally recommended for a Nevada gaming license.
- Bill Simmons’ new site has a name and some new employees.
- Another daily fantasy site, this one an FSTA member, is apparently having payment processing issues. Stay tuned.