As some of you may know, the Delaware legislature voted last week to legalize sports betting in its racinos. The governor signed the legislation, and they say the sports books should be up and running in about three months. Delaware also said it plans to allow table games in the near future.

Good news for people who want to bet on sports, and do it legally. But some professional sports leagues have said they will try and stop it. It’s also good news for people who want to gamble in a smoke-free environment, as Delaware casinos forbid smoking by state law.

But it’s bad news for Atlantic City casinos, with revenues still spiraling downwards due to a recession and new competition in Pennsylvania. Sports betting and table games in Delaware will eat into Atlantic City’s customer base, and casino execs are running scared.

New Jersey blew its chance to allow sports betting back in 1993. The U.S. Congress passed a law that any state that did not allow sports betting by the end of 1993 could never have it. Nevada, of course, already had its sports books. Delaware and two other states were grandfathered in, because they had conducted some sort of sports lottery.

In order to become legal in New Jersey, the sports-betting question had to be placed on the ballot in the November 1993 election. The legislature, then controlled by the Republicans, did not act, and the window of opportunity was forever closed.

Now the state is talking about suing the federal government, saying the 1993 law is unconstitutional. Good luck! Even if they win in the long run, it will take years to work its way through the courts. In the meantime, the Delaware sports books will prosper.

If you ask my opinion, Atlantic City’s only hope is to clean itself up, both physically and politically, to make itself a desirable resort destination. Clean up the trash, clean up the slums, and for God’s sake, clean up City Hall. Two years ago, when fully one-third of the City Council went to prison for taking bribes, it made it clear to honest entrepreneurs that Atlantic City is not a place they want to do business. Get the crooks out of City Hall and make Atlantic City a good place to invest.

Share