NJ Lawmaker Wants International Online Gambling Firms To Roost Here
By David Madden
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBS) -- As New Jersey prepares for next week's formal rollout of Internet gambling within its borders (see related story), the state legislator who pushed for the change wants to take things to the next level.
North Jersey state senator Raymond Lesniak wants to allow international web gambling companies to be able to set up shop in the state, preferably in Atlantic City.
"That would be limited to players across the world except for anyone from the United States, where (they) would be prohibited," he tells KYW Newsradio.
And given that this would be international commerce, he says professional and college sports leagues couldn't block sports betting as they do in this country now.
Lesniak's plan would not require federal approval as long as bets come from outside the US.
Corporate profits would be taxed by the state, with plans to set aside $60 million over three years to help the horseracing industry.
Lesniak says he hopes to get the bill to the governor's desk by the end of June.
