For the second time, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie
(R) has vetoed a bill that would legalize internet gambling in the state. Had the bill been successful, it would have made New Jersey the third state in the country, along with Delaware and Nevada, to legalize internet gambling.
Governor Christie did say, however, that he would be supportive of an internet gambling law that was on a provisional, 10-year basis. Additionally, he would like to see the Casino tax rate on internet gambling winnings raised to 15% from 10%.
Proponents of this bill argue that legalizing internet gambling in the state would have a number of benefits, including boosting the revenue of gambling halls and also benefitting the state in terms of tax revenue. Additionally, it would save criminal lawyers and U.S. prosecutors valuable time, as recent crack downs on internet gambling over the past few years have increased the number of cases brought against online gambling sites and those in charge of running these operations.