New Jersey governor Chris Christie is poised to sign legislation that would make New Jersey the first state in the nation to regulate online casinos. The governor has been under political pressure and pulled in both directions regarding this groundbreaking bill. It passed the Senate and the Assembly easily, but Christie has yet to sign off and make it law.
If Christie does sign the bill, he will gain the support of millions of online gamblers across the country, which would benefit him if he decides in the future to run for a higher office. On the other hand, he could lose some support within his own party, so this has been a tough choice for the governor to make. For a state where Atlantic City casinos have been hit hard by the recession, this law promises to add hundreds of millions of dollars to the budget in new tax revenues.