Michael Symons

The Asbury Park (N.J.) Press

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Gov. Chris Christie's administration today cleared a path for New Jersey casinos and racetracks to allow sports betting and asked a federal judge to allow it to take effect.

Acting Attorney General John Hoffman issued astatewide directive that tells county and municipal prosecutors and police casinos or tracks would not be committing a criminal offense under state law if they operated sports pools, so long as no wagering occurs on events that take place in New Jersey or that involve any New Jersey college team.

The Christie administration also asked U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp to hear its request that Shipp clarify or modify an injunction he issued in February 2013 that prevented the state from enacting sports betting. The state wants to be sure it can repeal its prohibition of sports wagering, which it says would be different than approving and authorizing it even though regular laws and regulations would apply.

"Merely applying laws and regulations of general applicability does not constitute licensure or authorization of sports wagering," the state says in its court filing.

"The fact that some individuals are prohibited from gambling does not mean that the state is 'sanction[ing]' or 'approv[ing]' gambling for everyone else. This is simply common sense: An ordinance stating "no dogs in the park" would not be understood as putting the state's imprimatur on a reptile lover's decision to bring her pet python to the park, just as a sign in a restaurant that said 'no smoking on the patio' would not constitute a state endorsement of smoking in every place other than the patio."

New Jersey voters endorsed sports betting in a 2011 referendum, but sports leagues successfully challenged the state law that was passed by the Legislature and signed by Christie following that vote.

Last September's federal appeals court ruling upheld the constitutionality of the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act but said New Jersey wouldn't be prohibited from repealing its ban on sports wagering. Shipp's injunction from early 2013 didn't address that distinction.

Sports leagues are likely to fight today's legal maneuver.

Christie last month vetoed legislation that would have partially repealed prohibitions against sports wagering at casinos and racetracks. The bill's primary sponsor, Sen. Raymond Lesniak, D-Union, wants the Senate to attempt to override the veto Sept. 22.