Reports released Tuesday morning announced that the US Supreme Court has finally agreed to hear New Jersey’s appeal that attempts to legalize sports betting in the state. While state citizens and legislators clearly—and overwhelmingly—support the institution in their state, it is the court system that has presented them serious troubles recently.

Most recently, following Governor Chris Christie’s signing of a bill that would permit the activity, the five major American sports organizations—NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and NCAA—filed a joint lawsuit that they would eventually win on three different Third Circuit panels by rulings of 2-1, 2-1, and 9-3.

Many New Jersey government officials, specifically Senator Ray Lesniak who has spearheaded this effort, will likely move forward with the Supreme Court case this fall by arguing the hypocrisy that the current law exudes—prohibiting an activity nationwide but also allowing four states to reap the economic benefits since the legality was “grandfathered in.”

This hypocrisy comes from the 1992 federal law that banned sports gambling in 46 states. Nevada, Montana, Oregon, and Delaware are the exceptions. One of the bills largest sponsors was New Jersey Senator and former New Yok Knick Bill Bradley who stated that he “certainly didn’t like the idea of being [treated like] a roulette chip.”

Recent studies estimate that the illegal gambling market in the 46 states where the activity is still outlawed has recently cleared the $150 billion per year mark. The ability to tax the activity once legalized is certainly enticing to New Jersey as it would obviously produce an immediate increase in state tax revenue.

Additionally, much of New Jersey’s support of the activity is that it would install Las Vegas-style by-laws and environments in its casinos and racetracks. The once-budding Atlantic City has undeniably become a shell of what it once was. With only seven remaining casinos in Atlantic City, the emergence of sports gambling would likely not return the city to prior form, but it would certainly be a step forward.

Featured Image via Wikimedia.