New Jersey senators pushing sports betting bill

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Two New Jersey state senators are pushing for fast action on a measure that would abolish a state law that bans sports betting.

Democrat Raymond Lesniak and Republican Joseph Kyrillos announced Tuesday that they intend to introduce the legislation when the Senate meets Oct. 9.

They say the bill would reinforce the state attorney general's position that the state can legally lift the ban on sports betting, so long as it does not specifically authorize the wagering.

The bill would also set a 21-year-old minimum age for betting.

Advocates say gambling on sports would benefit the state's horse racing tracks and help revive Atlantic City's struggling casinos. But the four major professional sports leagues and the NCAA want a federal judge to rule against New Jersey's gambit.

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