Regulated online betting in New Jersey has seen a drastic increase in the month of December as well as the whole 2015 by over 20%. A report that was released by the Division of Gaming Enforcement on Wednesday indicated that income from online operators who are licensed by the sate recorded at $14 million in December. As compared to November when the revenue stood at $13.2 million, the report indicated a 6% growth. In relation to the total revenue generated in 2015, the report indicated that there was a 30.8% rise as compared to 2014. A 39% rise on revenue in year-on-year for casino vertical read at $12 million. Nonetheless, there was a drop in the poker income down by 3.6%.

In total, income generated in 2015 alone was recorded at $148.8 million. This was a 21% rise as compared to 2014’s income. 33% rise was also evident in the total online casino in the whole 2015 to record at $125 million in comparison to the one recorded in 2014. However, there was a slight drop in the poker revenue sector by 18% to stand at $23.8 million.

As the trend has always been, Pala combo/Bwin.party/Borgata had the mammoth share of the income generated in December at $3.96 million. From this figure, poker contributed $1.1 million whereas casino brought in $2.85 million. Total revenue accrued by Borgata was at $45.7 million which was a rise from 2014’s $44.3 million. This came despite poker overseeing a drop of 17%.

Caesars Interactive Entertainment on the other hand recorded December income at $3.1 million from which $2.23 million was from casino and $874k from poker. However, a drop in the 2015 year was recorded to $32.7 million from $32.9 million in 2014. This was as a result of the drastic decline of poker income from $13.3m in 2014 to $10.7 million in 2015.

The Golden Nugget casino had total December income at $2.87. Its total yearly income rose by nearly 300% to record at $31 million in 2015 from $10.8m in 2014. This was due to their amalgamation with the Betfair New Jersey.

Tropicana casino had December income at $2.8 million with yearly income rising by 45% to record at $32.8 million. Resorts casino Hotel on the other hand had December income at $1.3 million.

New Jersey has been hit by yet another setback on legalizing sport betting in the state after the Third Circuit Court of Appeals panel dispelled their appeal. It was on the 25^th day of August when representatives of the State were faced with a dilemma which has been onto them for four years now after a jury of three judges of the U.S Third Circuit Court of Appeal dispelled their bid to allow sports betting in both casinos and racetracks.

This is a huge blow to the State which has no any other option of appealing the case but would rather engage the “en Banc” review which stipulates that the case would be tabled across a panel of 23 judges unlike previous cases where only 3 judges took part.

The main antagonizing issue calls for a clear check up on the plan of New Jersey in adding sports betting to casinos and racetracks and if it would go against the 1992 federal ban on sports betting that was referred to as the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).

New Jersey claims that its attempt to incorporate sports betting was to revive the demising horse racing industry as well as Atlantic casinos that are besieged. The passing of the law four years ago prompted the NHL, MLB, NBA, NFL and NCAA moving to the caught to sue the State as they claimed that the integrity of these sports would be disrupted through match fixing and corruption and moreover this would go against the 1992 Act. The court has since then made verdicts siding with the leagues.

If the State is not accorded with the “en banc” review, it can move further up to the Supreme caught but faces a wrath after their previous attempt in 2013 failed provided the Supreme Court of the U.S only allows 1% of the petitions. They may also antechamber the Congress in changing the federal ban but this may take years.

Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) the man behind the pushing of legalization of Sports betting in the state claimed that their only left option is the Third Circuit. He hopes that this may go through as he advocated for the passing of Sports betting legalization to the State four years ago.

The legalization of sport betting in New Jersey will not take place anytime soon. This comes after a second order from the U.S Third Circuit of Appeals in Philadelphia ruled on a 2-1 decision on the 25^th of August. Judge Marjorie Rendell did not hesitate in ruling congruence to the 2012 ruling that forbidden legalization of sports betting in New Jersey.

The signing of the amended legislature by Gov. Chris Christie backed by his fellow lawmakers of the state was not enough to advocate for sports betting as the state law claimed that it still went against the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) that was initiated by the congress back in 1992.

The failure of initiation of sports betting by Monmouth Park which went down from the ruling by US District Judge Michael Shipp prompted for an appeal at the US Third Circuit on 25^th of August with hope that favor will be on their side only for Rendell and Judge Maryanne Trump to end their dreams.

According to Senator Raymond Lesniak, the state will fight more and more until they are given a go ahead to initiate sports betting and now will be heading to appeal the case to a higher court with hope that their argument will be heard. The senator feels that this time their appeal will go through after he oversaw the third judge; Judge Fuentes in the three judge jury at the US Third Circuit of Appeal Court support their appeal by claiming that it didn’t go against any federal law on sports betting. He added that this would be their basis as they convince the Third Circuit panel to go over their final decision in the abolishment of sports betting in New Jersey.

The Senator’s efforts may be fruitful as a spokesman from the acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman, Lee Moore claimed that they are trying to consider revisiting the ruling that was made on the 25^th of August.

American Gaming Association President Geoff Freemanclaimed that this ruling has propelled them into putting into consideration the best options that the State will be accorded in terms of sports betting. The fact that there is a total of $140 million that is gambled illegally, the aspect of the law living to its dreams are very low.

The appeal tabled at the Federal appeal court by the US pro sports betting advocates have hit a hard rock as the jury decided not to the uplifting of the sports betting to be held in New Jersey. Us pro advocates rushed to the Third Court of Appeals in Philadelphia with the aim of having a ruling in their favour but were shocked as the court ruling was backed by 2-1 and in turn giving no chance to the State in trying to circumvent the 1992 Professional & Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).

This appeal by the New Jersey State has been in progress for nearly a year now. And down the line, the state has faced yet another hit in attempt to give a comprehensive continuity of sport betting in USA. It was the decision of Third Court Judges Marjorie Rendell and Maryanne Trump Barry who made their verdict in favour of US Pro League members and hence giving legalization of sports betting in New Jersey a huge blow.

According to the US Pro League representatives from various leagues such as NFL, MLB and NHL, the verdict undertaken by the Third Court was crucial inthe upholding of the honesty portrayed by various sporting games in the USA.

However, all was not done as the Democratic Senator of New Jersey Ray Lesniak claimed that the representatives of this state will not give up and will continue waging the fight for what they think is their right of eradicating the PASPA verdicts.

Commenting on the issue to US news sources, the senator claimed that there will be three games for the NFL to be staged in Wembley Stadium in London where their fans will bet and watch the games. He claimed that their main agenda would be controlling as well as running betting via fantasy sports.

The president of the American Gaming association Geoff Freeman claimed that he would support Lesniak by claiming that they deserve to take full control of betting as the law is not keen with regulation of illegal betting with current statistics indicating that there are over $140 billion indulged in illegal betting.

From here, New Jersey will head for another appeal at the full court.

Soon sport betting will be considered a ‘game skill’ if it is legalized in the United States. ESPN, a US sport network has revealed that the NFL and the Department of Justice, through legal documents that they are considerations to make sport betting a ‘game of skill’. The definition from both these two parties may be of importance in giving the distinction that would help determine whether sport betting will be made legal in the United States.

This document came into light when it was discovered by the biggest sports broadcaster, ESPN, as they were searching through public records. This game changing definition was outlined by the lawyers that stood in for NFL alongside Loretta Lynch who is a US Attorney General.

The earlier definition that determine the ‘Games of Skill’ is according to 2006 UIGEA law. This has been used for those who oppose sport betting on the grounds that despite the fact that some skill may be involved. When it comes to sport betting just like any betting activity the element of chance plays a greater role in determining and influencing the outcome.

Attorney General Lynch in 2013 noted that Sport betting involves some skill by the bettors but despite this Sport bettor would decide to exploit on the odds that would not reflect necessarily reflect on the outcomes of the games. This superior knowledge would effect on the mind set of those wagering and influence on the decisions they would make on the bets.

US betting advocates will be surprised by the news that ESPN have disclosed. This is because the NFL have always against sport betting being legalized. They were the first to be against sport betting being legalized in the State of New Jersey for the whole of 2014. Roger Goodell told the media in April that the NFL where still opposing the sport betting which where contrary to the words of Adam Silver who urged the senate to set up a legal framework that will allow and legalize sport betting.