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PrintChris Christie isn’t entering this fight alone.
Maybe we can call New Jersey “The Outlaw State,” but 45 percent of respondents in a recent poll said they’re in favor of the state allowing sports betting even if the federal government bans it. That’s compared to just 38 percent opposed.
From the AP’s story:
When the question of a federal ban was eliminated, 58 percent of respondents said New Jersey should allow sports betting. That’s up from the 53 percent who felt that way a year ago.
In other words, support for Christie—the New Jersey governor who’s facing a lawsuit from the four major pro sports leagues and the NCAA—is growing within his state. The poll took place in late July and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.
Important to note: The poll took place before the leagues sued Christie.
Also from the story:
State Sen. Raymond Lesniak, who has been trying to legalize sports betting for several years, was not surprised by the poll results.
“Since a strong majority of New Jerseyans supported the sports betting referendum I sponsored last November, I expect that support to continue throughout our fight to overturn the federal ban,” he said.
So, here’s where we seem to be with all this.
The key politicians want legalized sports betting. The voters want it. The fans want it. Pretty much everyone sees the benefits and wants it to happen.
Except the leagues.
