In a startling turn of events, Governor Christie of New Jersey has changed his stance on online poker. Christie now believes that legalizing online poker will be a great way to improve the future of the state’s economy.
Christie vetoed a bill back in March that would have paved the way for regulated, intrastate gaming in New Jersey. Christie said that he believed that legalizing online poker would lead to a couple of problems with the bill. Christie said that the bill raised a few legal problems and some concerns over how it would affect the gaming industry in New Jersey.
The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) had mixed feelings about Christie’s veto last year. However, his sudden new outlook on the bill is welcome news.
The new bill being drafted is very similar to the bill that Governor Christie vetoed last year. Christie’s sudden change in opinion is likely not due to the slight revisions in the bill, but rather the federal government’s sudden new interpretation of the Wire Act.
While taking questions from reporters from New Brunswick, Christie said “I think New Jersey should be in that business, I think we should be an epicenter for that business, but I want to do it right.”
A new draft of the bill was supposed to be on the fast track to Christie’s desk. Senators decided to hold off on getting the governor’s signature, because they needed to make sure the bill reflected the best interests of the gaming industry, the community and all other stakeholders before it was signed into law. Christie said that he didn’t want to rush to pass a bill that wouldn’t uphold the state’s constitution or would create other problems.
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