News emanating from top American news outlets has unequivocally confirmed that the American Gaming Association has officially taken sides with 20 American states to support New Jersey’s quest to legalize sports betting and casino in the state. New Jersey’s latest appeal is coming on the heels of a concerted and long drawn out legal battle which has seen several courts strike out appeals by the state to overthrow the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which prohibits sports betting in all but four states within the American Union. If New Jersey emerges victorious in court, then it would have achieved its aim of decriminalizing sports betting by allowing unregulated sports betting at casinos and racetracks.

Prior to the American Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case this fall, the case has been repeatedly struck down in the various hearings it has had at federal court and at the federal appeals level.

This time around however the state of New Jersey, alongside its supporting parties, has left no stone unturned in ensuring that the outcome of the case would be favorable. Alongside its supporting parties, the state has engaged the services of top legal practitioners to press the case to a logical conclusion.

To that effect, two separate amicus brief filings have already been made available to the court for scrutiny. One was filed by the legal team of American Gaming Association and one by a group of states led by West Virginia and its attorney general, Patrick Morrissey. The briefs have asked the court in no uncertain terms to strike down Professional and Amatuer Sports Protection Act.

Geoff Freeman who is the president and CEO of the American Gamers Association, at a parley with newsmen was of the opinion that the brief filed by the group of states was further evidence to show that the demand for legalized sports betting to be offered without prohibition in all American states was one shared by a large percentage of Americans in the industry.

Mr.  Freeman further enthused that State Legislatures have begun laying legislative ground work which will ensure a smooth transition into the era of legal sports betting. This view is not totally without reason as currently, 14 states have already introduced sports betting bills or resolutions in their various state parliaments in anticipation of legal sports betting that could come into effect with a successful outing in the Supreme Court. For now though, Casinos have to operate within the existing laws and hope for victory when the case is heard in fall.