STATESIDE
Christie, whose popularity has crashed and burned since his 2013 reelection, put his name and credibility on the line. Honestly, I too have been disappointed with Christie’s performance since then. However, for the Christie haters, I remind them of what could have been after the 2008 economic collapse and relentless competition from neighboring states. Christie’s consistent gaming advocacy for this region has somewhat maintained their economic lives through area tourism and real estate values. His predecessor, former Governor Jon Corzine
(2006-2010), did almost nothing to mitigate those repercussions, despite having plenty of advance warning. Hurricane Sandy added another devastating blow in October 2012. Now the industry had its “day in court” and the
attorneys on both sides were legal superstars. Our side argued that the federal government illegally overreached to regulate what should be an individual states rights issue, just like current casino laws. This is hardly a new disagreement. America’s colonial 18th century Founding Fathers debated the battle between federalism and states’ rights. When Norman and I visited my hometown Philadelphia’s newly-opened American Revolution Museum, we saw the exhibition emphasized this ongoing struggle.
Specifically, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas
Jefferson despised one another. Hamilton advocated for a powerful central government; Declaration of Independence author Jefferson supported individual state rights. The U.S. has long since combined both, sometimes through bitter conflicts. Hopefully, the decision favors our position. As
states scramble to introduce their own programs, the professional sporting leagues will certainly fight to enter the financial mix. How this plays out is anyone’s guess. AGA CEO/President Geoff Freeman believes legal
sports betting will happen, regardless of the Court’s possible rulings. The AGA has joined several prominent law enforcement professionals from its Illegal Gambling Advisory Board to publicly voice concerns over the illegal sports betting market and the need to create a regulated, legal framework. The AGA’s constant education of Congressional members leads Freeman to believe that, if necessary, Congress could overturn PASPA and President Donald Trump would sign that legislation into law. After all, Trump certainly understands casinos and publicly ridiculed PASPA in 1992. Have a happy holiday season, a healthy new year and a prosperous 2018. I hope to bring you good news.
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