The Senate Economic Growth Committee will hold a public hearing at the Atlantic City Convention Center on legislation to allow for legalized sports wagering in New Jersey. The hearing is being held on April 5. State Senator Jeff Van Drew is a sponsor of the bill. The bill would ask voters to approve a constitutional amendment to legalize sports wagering at New Jersey’s casinos and horse-racing tracks. The bill would permit wagers to be placed on professional, college, or amateur sports or athletic events, either in-person of from any other location using telephone, Internet or other means. The bill would prohibit wagers to be placed on college games that take place in New Jersey or on any game in which a New Jersey college team participates. The bill was recently approved by the Economic Growth Committee in February by a vote of 4-0, with one abstention. Under current law, constitutional amendments require an additional public hearing, to give the public another chance to testify on the bill, before it goes to the full Senate for consideration.
