Press of Atlantic City – With days remaining until New Jersey’s online gambling launch, state Sen. Raymond Lesniak has vowed to fight a well-financed lobbying effort against Internet wagering and plans an announcement that could further expand the state’s online gambling industry.
Lesniak, D-Union, is expected to make the announcement at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Atlantic City Convention Center. The senator has declined to provide details prior to the press conference. Legislators and regulators on Tuesday said they did not know the details of the development
“I have not talked to Sen. Lesniak. This took us all by surprise,” New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement Director David Rebuck said.
Meanwhile industry insiders and gaming publications, including eGaming Review North America, are reporting that Lesniak will introduce a bill that will allow New Jersey gambling operators to offer online wagering to international markets, including Gilbraltar and the Isle of Man, which are strongholds in the online gambling industry.
The announcement Thursday will come hours before the the start of the state’s five-day trial period, which gets under way at 6 p.m. Analysts estimate that New Jersey’s market could yield $250 million to $1.2 billion in gambling revenue in its first year, though the high end of the estimates have been met with skepticism.
This week, another well-financed critic emerged as Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson made headlines when he told the Washington Post he plans to lobby Congress to disallow Internet gambling, arguing that the practice could harm traditional casinos and target children and the poor.
