Much as might be expected, a federal judge handed down an injunction preventing Monmouth Park from taking sports wagers last weekend. Track advisor Dennis 
Drazin tried to shrug off the setback, calling it “only a step in the road.” State Sen. Raymond Lesniak agreed, characterizing the ruling as a “temporary setback.” Ignoring extant sports betting in Nevada and Delaware, Judge Michael Shipp said “irreparable harm” would befall the major sporting leagues and the NCAA were they to be associated with gambling. “More legal gambling leads to more total gambling, which in turns leads to an increased incentive to fix plaintiffs’ matches,” Shipp wrote primly.
He also wrote that the plaintiffs “established a reasonable likelihood of success” that the U.S. Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act would be violated by wagering at Monmouth Park. Chastising the latter for not waiting upon his order, Shipp further wrote, “While the defendants may suffer some harm as result of a temporary restraining order, much of this harm is self-inflicted.”
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie maintained his pro-betting stance, saying through a spokesman, “We continue to have full confidence in the strength and appropriateness of our position as we move forward in the litigation.” A loophole in Shipp’s role could open the door to betting on boxing matches, NASCAR races and soccer matches. However, it does not look as though Monmouth Park will press its luck on that front. While Shipp’s ruling stays Monmouth Park’s plans, the matter will be ultimately be decided at trial.
* While the content of Christie’s first Atlantic City summit remains under wraps, the governor has slated a second session for Nov. 12. Gubernatorial point man Jon Hanson 
did offer a sneak peak of future talks, saying, “I think the primary effort is that the cost of government in Atlantic City is not sustainable from the revenue sources from property taxes. That seems to be on the government side as well as the taxpayers’ side.” Due to the downward revision of property tax values on the city’s casinos (helping to push the tax base down from $20 billion to $9 billion), John Q. Public is looking at a painful, 29% boost in property taxes this year. Said Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian, “the cost of city government is no longer sustainable,” meaning that job cuts and the possible outsourcing of certain civic services are on the way. “Consolidation in general, or shared services, is something we’re looking at,” added Hanson, hinting at making Atlantic City a ward of the county or state. Even that doesn’t get Atlantic City of the hook of paying for city services.
Guardian also let it slip that two ex-casinos are under consideration as possible extension campuses for the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey … the Showboat and Atlantic Club. Nobody, however, seems to have the slightest interest in Trump Plaza, which may be fit only for the wrecking ball.
