Even though Chris Christie is no longer the governor of New Jersey, that doesn’t mean that he is prevented from offering his opinion on matters involving the state. Christie is now urging lawmakers to push back against a bill that would allow the federal government to be in control of regulated sports betting.
He expressed this opinion in New Orleans, which recently hosted the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States conference. New Jersey is one of seven states that currently regulate sports betting, and many other states are considering it this year, as well.
States Have It Covered
Christie believes that states can handle the issue themselves, and that this is not a sector that the federal government should interfere in. Specifically, he stated:
We do not need a federal solution to this problem. States have been regulating gambling for decades without incident.”
This is in response to the fact that two lawmakers – Orrin Hatch and Charles Schumer – introduced a bill late last year that would allow the federal government to regulate the sports betting sector. Notable sports leagues, including the National Football League (NFL) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) have expressed their support.
Other Support
It’s important to note that Chris Christie might not be a considerable factor in the matter, considering that he actually was not extremely popular in his own state, especially during the end of his career. In fact, around the time that he left office, a Rutgers University poll showed that only 13% viewed him favorably.
However, there are other states that also believe that they should be in control of sports betting regulation. Ohio Senator William Coley III pointed out that there are many states that echo Christie’s sentiments. He said:
We know what we have in our states and what we can do. Legislators in Utah know what people in Utah want, lawmakers in New Jersey know what works best for them. We don’t want federal oversight.”
