TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - The Latest on the New Jersey Legislature’s effort to legalize sports betting (all times local):
5:25 p.m.
Monmouth Park Racetrack says it won’t take any sports bets Thursday night.
But the track’s plans beyond that remain unclear.
The Oceanport, New Jersey track near the Jersey shore says it will announce soon when it plans to begin taking bets at its sports wagering lounge.
The New Jersey Legislature approved a sports betting bill Thursday, but Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy won’t say when he’ll act on it.
One state lawmaker notes that language that would have prohibited a casino or track from taking sports bets before the bill is signed was stripped from the bill before it was approved.
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5:20 p.m.
Texas billionaire Tilman Fertitta is thanking the New Jersey Legislature for a last-minute fix that will allow his Golden Nugget casino in Atlantic City to take sports bets - just not on basketball.
Fertitta owns the NBA’s Houston Rockets, and would have been shut out of sports betting under previous versions of the bill.
But the change allows him to offer bets on other sports except for basketball.
Fertitta says he eventually hopes to persuade New Jersey to let the Golden Nuggets take bets on basketball teams other than the Rockets, which is what Nevada regulators allow.
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5 p.m.
Major League Baseball, the NBA and the PGA Tour want New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to “fix” the sports betting law on his desk to address concerns about the integrity of betting on their games.
The leagues are seeking payments to help them police betting patterns, and want better information sharing.
They say the law passed Thursday by the state Legislature does not address those concerns.
Lawmakers rejected the integrity fee payments.
It remains unclear when sports betting might begin in New Jersey, or when the Democratic governor might act on the bill.
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4:55 p.m.
A major bookmaking company has signed a contract to offer sports betting at tracks in New Jersey and New York.
Moments after the New Jersey Legislature gave final approval to a bill legalizing sports betting, Betfair US announced it will offer sports betting at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, just outside New York City.
It will do likewise at Tioga Downs Racetrack in New York.
Betfair says it will start offering sports betting this summer and will be operational at the tracks before the NFL season begins in September.
Betfair US is a subsidiary of Paddy Power Betfair, one of the largest publicly traded sports betting companies in the world.
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4:40 p.m.
A New Jersey lawmaker says a Jersey shore racetrack is technically free to start taking bets immediately, even before a bill legalizing sports betting is signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.
Republican state Sen. Declan O’Scanlan says language was dropped from the bill that prohibited any sports betting facility from opening until the bill is signed.
That appears to clear the way for Monmouth Park in Oceanport to begin taking bets right away. The track has loudly wanted to begin taking bets Friday.
But its chief, Dennis Drazin, also has said he does not want to antagonize the governor.
It remains unclear what the track’s plans are and when the governor might act.
3:35 p.m.
The New Jersey Legislature has given final approval to a bill legalizing sports betting.
The state Senate approved the bill Thursday afternoon shortly after the Assembly approved it.
It now goes to the desk of Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who hasn’t said when he’ll sign it.
Murphy’s office says the bill will get a careful review, but won’t estimate when the governor will act on it.
Monmouth Park racetrack has been particularly vocal about its desire to start taking bets on Friday.
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3:10 p.m.
The New Jersey Assembly has unanimously approved a bill that would legalize sports betting.
The bill approved Thursday now goes to the state Senate, which also is expected to approve it, and then to the desk of Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. It’s unclear whether he will sign it into law.
The Assembly amended the bill to allow casinos that own more than 10 percent of a sports team to still offer sports betting, but only on sports other than those in which they own a team. That would let the Golden Nugget back in the game.
Texas billionaire Tilman Fertitta owns the Golden Nugget and the NBA’s Houston Rockets.
Under the change, the Golden Nugget could still take bets on sports including football, baseball and hockey, but not basketball.
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1:50 p.m.
New Jersey lawmakers are rethinking a law that would have banned one Atlantic City casino from offering sports betting.
The state Assembly is expected to amend its proposed sports betting law to allow casinos that own more than 10 percent of a sports team to still offer sports betting, but only on sports other than those in which they own a team.
That would let the Golden Nugget back in the game.
Texas billionaire Tilman Fertitta owns the Golden Nugget and the NBA’s Houston Rockets.
Under the change, the Golden Nugget could still take bets on sports including football, baseball and hockey, but not basketball.
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12:30 a.m.
New Jersey’s proposed sports betting law is heading down to the wire.
Final legislative approval is expected on Thursday, but it’s anyone’s bet when Gov. Phil Murphy might sign it.
Despite the desire of Atlantic City casinos and state racetracks to begin taking bets Friday morning, it’s uncertain when the Democratic governor will let them. He previously voiced support for sports betting before the details of an actual bill were written.
Three weeks ago, New Jersey prevailed in a Supreme Court case that struck down a federal law limiting sports betting to just four states.
Now, any state is free to adopt laws legalizing it.
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