A day doesn’t pass without eager sports betting fans perusing the periodicals for some indication of where the U.S. Supreme Court stands on the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA). The legislation has been challenged numerous times, most notably by the state of New Jersey, which has now racked up more than $8.5 million in legal fees to try and have the bill overturned. And, the number keeps climbing.

The New Jersey Division of Law presented state financial records to the Press of Atlantic City, showing that the Garden State has now spent just under $8.6 million fighting the federal government over PASPA. Two law firms in particular, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and Gibbons PC, have billed the state for $7 million and $1.577 million, respectively, between 2012 and 2017.

The fees are being covered by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and the Racing Commission. Both groups receive funding from state taxes and fees paid by casinos in Atlantic City, but no indication was given regarding the breakdown of percentages.

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