By David Madden

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBS) — New Jersey governor Chris Christie kicked off the tourist season in Atlantic City today with a bombshell: his administration is moving ahead with regulations to establish legalized sports betting at casinos and racetracks in the Garden State.

And Christie suggests he’s ready for a court fight if the feds — or anyone else — tries to stop it.

Right now, an act of Congress that limits sports betting to four states would seem to stand in the way. But Christie has signed the law allowing sports betting in New Jersey, and now his administration will draw up regulations, put them out within a week, and then put them into effect — by the fall, he hopes.

“Am I expecting that maybe there might be some legal action against us to try to prevent it?  Yes. But that’s going to be their burden to prevent it,” Christie said today. “That’s why we’re doing it the way we’re doing it.”

Christie believes sports gaming will be just another part of the mix that is aimed at revitalizing this shore resort.

Half of the money from sports gambling licensing fees would go to fund chronic gambling treatment programs in the state.