New Jersey Sports Betting Bill to Broaden Possibilities

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Sports betting: it seems to be a phrase that’s meaning is quite clear. But New Jersey’s newest sports betting bill makes you reconsider this statement. The bill says that events like eating contests could be sports events as well! And as such, wagers will be able to place some bets on them! Everyone likes county fairs! With all the red and blue slushes, the merry-go-rounds, the fun games, the hot dogs, and all the eating contests. Can you imagine making these events even more exciting? The New Jersey sports betting bill is on it right now. This new act would let operators take bets on competitive eating contests! Moreover, it would also make it possible for bettors in New Jersey to place wagers on the Oscars. Since all online gambling news sites in the US have Oscar-themed articles, it would be high time to take this step. Not to mention great bonuses on online sports betting sites, like Bet365! They have not decided what the fate of the bill will be. But one thing is sure: it would shake up sports betting all around Jersey!

Sports betting in NJ

After the Supreme Court of the US legalized domestic sports gambling options – by the American federal gambling law (PASPA) –, New Jersey legalized sports betting. So, ever since then no federal law prohibits each state from making its own legislation. What is more, the law also lets American residents wager online on offshore sportsbooks. So, when it comes to the state of New Jersey, the “NJ State assembly law A4111 allows NJ residents over the age of 21 to wager on sports at state-licensed sportsbooks operating over the internet, at racetracks, and at casinos.” But they are always trying to improve the experience for wagers, like this latest New Jersey sports betting bill. “There are multiple pending sports gambling bills still active in NJ's 2019 legislative session that would adjust or amend existing laws relevant to sports betting.”

The latest New Jersey sports betting bill

The newest initiative would allow gamblers to put bets on competitive eating contests and the Oscars. It was advanced from the Government Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee. There was also a companion bill which the state Assembly approved last June. Senator Jim Beach and Chris Brown set the point of the bill. They plan to loosen the definition of the phrase “sports event”. This way it would include “any skill-based attraction, including awards competitions and competitive eating contests.” Imagine how this would blow up the online sports betting sites in the US! New Jersey’s residents could just check in on Bet365 and place their bets anytime they want – and on any particular event, they want.

The bill is also prepared against rigging the games. It is understandable since at eating contests it would be an easy task to do so. They set a “wager limit not more than 100 dollars or a win limit of 500 dollars, whichever is greater. By this, they could maintain the integrity of such happenings and protect the sportsbooks from fraud.

The second part of the bill

The act has another issue to cover which concerns esports betting. This type of wagering was legal in Jersey, but they banned it last September. The reason was that many underage people were involved in such competitive video gaming. According to the bill: “Under existing law, certain events, such as high school sporting events, are considered ‘prohibited sports events’ and cannot be wagered on. This bill expands on ‘prohibited sports events’ to include electronic sports competitions sponsored by or affiliated with high schools or competitions in which the majority of competitors are under the age of 18 (…) “The bill also clarifies the age limit regarding certain sports events to accommodate the growing trend of younger competitors in the video gaming community,”. All in all, the latest New Jersey sports betting bill brings good news to legal sports wagers. If it passes, you could go on online sportsbook sites in the US and put money on events you could have never put on before!

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