New Jersey’s lawmakers are looking at relaxing a wagering restriction that prevents the Golden Nugget Casino accepting NBA bets. Texas billionaire Tilman Fertitta owns the NBA’s Houston Rockets. He also owns the Golden Nugget along with other Casinos in Nevada.
When NJ’s lawmakers legalized sports betting post-PASPA last year, they inserted a special provision. It banned all dual owners like Fertitta from placing or accepting bets on any sport involving their teams.
The Golden Nugget management team was upset by the provision. They believed it to be unfair. Recently they pointed out Nevada allowed Fertitta’s casinos to take bets on NBA games if they didn’t involve the Rockets.
New Jersey has responded. A bill introduced Monday in the New Jersey Legislature will allow team owners to take bets on games involving any team but their own. Raj Mukherji, a NJ Democrat who co-sponsored the bill, told the StarTribune, “Sports wagering here is new and fledgling. However, if we take the handcuffs off, it could surpass Nevada as the largest market in the country.
“I don’t see the point of leaving out a potential significant participant in this new industry if sufficient regulation and integrity protections are in place. Nevada has long allowed this same arrangement.”