>New Jersey lawmakers back sports gaming
Twenty years after missing a deadline to let its residents bet on professional or collegiate sporting events, New Jersey lawmakers passed legislation Monday night that would make it legal.
But that was the easy part. Once Gov. Chris Christie has signed the measure, as is expected, the state faces an uphill battle in federal court to try to overturn a law banning sports betting in all but four states.
The state Senate and Assembly adopted a bill that would let New Jerseyans place bets at the 11 Atlantic City casinos and the state’s four horse racing tracks on football, baseball, basketball and other professional or college sports games. Bets could not be placed on games involving New Jersey collegiate teams such as Rutgers, Seton Hall, or Princeton. (Associated Press)
