Tennessee AG Herbert Slatery
While it’s unclear exactly how Tennessee state officials will react to the Supreme Court’s ruling on sports betting (will they or won’t they allow it here?), the move does have one well-placed supporter.
The United States Supreme Court struck down a 1992 federal law Monday morning that banned sports betting. The ruling will allow states to decide if they want to allow sports betting or not.
Attorneys General from several states signed onto a brief back in September 2017 supporting New Jersey’s side of the lawsuit, including Tennessee AG Herbert Slatery.
Neither Slatery nor other state officials immediately issued statements on the ruling. Slatery’s office did not provide a statement requested by the Flyer but confirmed that he did sign onto the brief. However, Slatery’s signature on that friendly brief shows at least a tacit approval of the matter.
Meanwhile., Mississippi gambling officials told The Clarion-Ledger that they could have sports betting up and running with 45 days.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called the move a “great day for the rights of states and their people to make their own decisions.”
A great day for the rights of states and their people to make their own decisions. New Jersey citizens wanted sports gambling and the federal Gov't had no right to tell them no. The Supreme Court agrees with us today. I am proud to have fought for the rights of the people of NJ.
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) May 14, 2018
Tennessee AG Supported New Jersey on Sports Betting Suit
New Jersey officials argued the law was a federal over-reach of states’ rights, that the federal government failed to set up a regulatory authority on betting for states, and even that laws like PASPA harmed “our system of dual sovereignty.”
Further, a ruling on the matter said state officials have to “bear the brunt of public disapproval, while the federal officials who devised the regulatory program may remain insulated from the electoral ramifications of their decision.”