Home / Poker News January 2013 / Problems in New Jersey – Chris Christie Voices Concerns
Problems in New Jersey – Chris Christie Voices Concerns
Posted by: James Carter. - Sat, 2013-01-26 09:46
New Jersey’s legislative machine has churned out a second
online poker/gambling bill a few weeks ago, which we have covered thoroughly on the pages of this site. Sen. Raymond Lesniak’s newest legal initiative has since been resting on Gov. Chris Christie’s desk, awaiting its fate, and fuelling hope that it would not end up being vetoed like its predecessor a couple of years ago.
The
poker community has been speculating about Gov Chris Christie’s attitude in regards to the said bill ever since the State Senate and the House pushed it through in rather favorable landslide decisions. According to some of the experts, Christie would sign the bill into law this time around, due to various circumstances which have changed quite a bit since the last similar bill met its untimely end at his hands.
Christie has until Feb 4 to sign the bill into law, to allow it to become a law by not touching it, or to veto it.
As the deadline approaches, signs that he does not in fact intend to sign the bill into law are beginning to abound though. In a radio show a few days ago, he has expressed doubt that the online poker/gambling move would in fact indeed help Atlantic City’s besieged casino industry. In the said radio segment, Christie opined that the bill may in fact have an adverse effect, keeping people at home rather than getting them to go to an Atlantic City casino.
Christie’s statement regarding the issue drew quick rebuke from the initiator of the currently talked-about bill, Sen Ray Lesniak. Lesniak said that Christie seems “clueless” in regards to the online poker/gambling issue. The way the system would work – according to supporters of the bill – would see online poker award comps to players, getting them to go to the casino to cash in on them.
