WASHINGTON -- New Jersey's online gambling sites would be shut down under legislation introduced by seven U.S. senators, including two Republican presidential candidates.
The bill mirrors legislation introduced in the House that would overturn a 2011 Justice Department ruling giving states the right to offer Internet gambling to their residents. New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware all voted to allow residents to gamble online. A House subcommittee held a hearing on the bill in March.
"A major rewrite of a long-standing federal law like this should be made by the people's elected representatives in Congress and signed into law by the president, not done administratively," said U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who is running for president.
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is the other GOP presidential candidate who is co-sponsoring the bill along with Republicans Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California.
"Expanded gambling presents many challenges, especially on the Internet where safeguards to protect people from fraud and addiction are harder to enforce," Rubio said. "Congress should restore existing prohibitions on Internet gambling before beginning a public debate about next steps."
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In New Jersey, online gambling brought in $120.5 million in its first year of operation, according to the state Division of Gaming Enforcement. Meanwhile, Atlantic City lost four brick-and-mortar casinos.
U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-2nd Dist.), whose district includes Atlantic City, "remains steadfast opposed to House or Senate legislation that attempts to ban New Jersey's right to regulate online gaming within its borders," spokesman Jason Galanes said.
Kevin Roberts, a spokesman for Gov. Chris Christie, who is to officially announce his candidacy for president on Tuesday, did not respond to a request for comment.
The bill's champion is Sheldon Adelson, chairman and chief executive officer of Las Vegas Sands and a top Republican donor. Adelson and his wife gave $93 million to Republican-leaning outside groups in 2012, more than any other donor.
"It is unfortunate that Sen. Graham and Sen. Rubio and several colleagues have chosen to carry Adelson's water in the U.S. Senate,'' said Kristen Hawn, a spokeswoman for the Coalition for Consumer and Online Protection, an advocacy group funded by casino companies including Caesars Entertainment, which operates an online gambling site in New Jersey. "By introducing this ill-conceived piece of legislation in spite of broad bipartisan opposition, they have chosen political interests over the interests of sound policy."
Adelson, who with his wife were the main funders of the super-political action committee that supported former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's 2012 presidential campaign, has met several times with Rubio, the Washington Post reported. The two men speak regularly, Politico reported.
The casino executive was the largest donor to the Republican Governors Association when Christie was chairman, giving $3.5 million.
Adelson also is backing the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling, another advocacy group.
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.