New Jersey is the home of Atlantic City, one of the major meccas in the U.S. for gamblers. But while it is still known as the best place for gambling on the East Coast, competition from other states nearby have threatened the livelihood of gambling in New Jersey, according to The Star-Ledger.
"We can no longer afford to keep our heads in the sand and pretend that we do not have direct competition to our Atlantic City casinos in Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New York," Ralph Caputo, a member of the Regulatory Oversight and Gaming Committee, told the news source. "This becomes even more of an economic push for us to do something in New Jersey.
While Governor Chris Christie has signed legislation that may eventually lead to privatization of two major racetracks in the state, lawmakers have sought out a different source of revenue – online gambling. Internet games such as online roulette can help draw in money from out-of-state gamblers.
Atlantic City suffered severe losses due to a tropical storm during Labor Day weekend this year, sending the revenue for the area down 11.6 percent, according to The Press of Atlantic City.
