As New Jersey forces the issue of sports betting, two lawmakers are offering the major leagues the one thing they can’t resist: money. State Sen. James Whelan (D) and Asm. Vincent Mazzeo (D) are propounding a quarter-of-a-percent tax on all wagers. As state Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D) said, “I believe sports betting leagues would be willing to stand down for a piece of the action.”
This “rake” would go to the leagues for the purpose of battling game fixing. Stroking pro-betting NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, the legislators wrote, “While we strongly support the legalization of sports betting in New Jersey and the economic benefits it will bring to Atlantic City, we are cognizant that sports leagues like the NBA need the necessary resources to protect the integrity and fairness of games.” Whelan proposes bypassing the legislative process and having agreements be made between leagues, and casinos and parimutuels.
In other casino-related lawmaking, assemblymen Mazzeo and Chris Brown (R, above) are introducing what might be called the Gary Loveman Bill. It would limit future casino ownership in Atlantic City to two apiece. (Glenn Straub won’t like that.) As Mazzeo says, “When everybody was fat and happy, and revenues were driven 
hard, we didn’t think there was a problem with casino companies owning four casinos.”
Then there’s the Son of Loveman Bill, which would prohibit — or least inhibit — casino companies from selling properties with deed restrictions that prevent gambling from taking place there in the future. Finally, a third, Revel-inspired bill would require casinos that are sold for less than fair market value to refund public-sector subsidies. Casinos might chafe at some of Mazzeo and Brown’s proposed restrictions but they’d be better advise to direct their ire at Caesars Entertainment.
* In the fray over the November casino-repeal referendum, Wynn Resorts has been hanging back, letting MGM Resorts International and Penn National Gaming do the fighting, to the tune of $1.7 million in campaign expenditures. Now that Wynn is officially licensed in Massachusetts, will its strategy change? The casino giant is strangely ambivalent about getting involved. Heck, even Mohegan Sun has pledged to stay neutral, even though a “no” vote would help business at its Connecticut flagship. It might also want to make a run at the third and last license, which will be awarded next year.
“Whether or not we’re going to get involved at a later date, we really haven’t come to that conclusion yet,” said Wynn surrogate Robert DeSalvio. Word is that Wynn won’t get involved unless opinion polling shows that its intervention is needed. Mohegan Sun, meanwhile, is grumbling that Wynn was given chances to re-do its proposal that weren’t extended to them. Its objections, however, were brushed aside as having been submitted too late.
Mohegan Sun’s lone ally on the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, Acting Chairman James McHugh, pronounced the body “delighted” to have Wynn as its licensee. “It’s a site that’s at the heart of the Everett master redevelopment. It’s a site, that with the energy the Wynn organization will bring to it that has the capacity to start change along the waterfront and throughout the city of Everett,” enthused McHugh — so much so that you’d never think he voted against Wynn.
