Jeffrey Wall, the Current US Solicitor General stands firmly against the New Jersey’s attempt to allow sports betting and recommends the Supreme Court to repeal the state’s appeal.
The Supreme Court is about to decide whether the prohibition on sports betting in New jersey will be revoked and the sports fans will be finally allowed to place bets on sports games. The state is struggling for this right for more than five years, but it seems that the case will strike again on a snag, meeting disapproval from the federal government.
The position of the US Solicitor General is unwavering in terms of the New Jersey’s proposal for allowing betting on sports. He is strongly against the Supreme Court to even review the state’s plan, explaining that it will only expand the gambling problem.
On a meeting in January, the Supreme Court invited Mr Wall to explain his reasons for his position, where he recommended that the appeal should be thrown away. One of his main reasons was the Professional and Sports Protection Act (PASPA), issued on 1992, which outlaws sports betting nationwide, excluding certain states.
The battle between the Solicitor General and the sports leagues should be decided by the end of June, when the Supreme Court is supposed to take a position and determine the future of the sports betting. The long efforts of the state are hanging by a hair’s breadth, having in mind that in most of the cases the Supreme Court takes into account the opinion of the Solicitor General.
In most of the cases, the Supreme Court agrees to hear only a small percentage of the total number of appeals. Thus, the participation of the Solicitor General is seen as a guarantee that the state’s proposal will be heard.
Unlike the US Solicitor General, Attorneys for New Jersey see that the case is not in the federal government jurisdiction and it cannot stop the state from breaking the chains of the sports betting prohibition.
What is more is that lifting the ban on sports betting will contribute to the state’s revenue tax increase, since it is existing and practised even now, but illegally. Moreover, sports betting is referred to not as gambling, but more as a skill-based game by many proponents. They explain that unlike the games of chance, sports betting requires knowledge and surveys.
Up to now, the Supreme Court is on the fence if the sports betting will be allowed in New Jersey or no. Soon, it will be clear what will be the future of the industry for the state and if it will be accepted as a legal practice.
The main setback seems to be the PASPA prohibition, which allows sports betting only in few states, excluding New Jersey. That explains the position of the US Solicitor General, who appeals for the refusal of the state’s appeal. On the other hand, if the state manages to break free of the prohibition, this is seen as a way to boost its economy.
