An aggressive push by Nevadato introduce intrastate online poker has had a rippling effect on the other side of the United States. According to the Press of Atlantic Cityand sources close to PocketFives, New Jersey State Senator Raymond Lesniak (pictured) is making a last-minute attempt to legalize intrastate internet gambling before the current legislative session expires next week. In the background are fading gambling revenues at Atlantic City casinos, which stand to benefit if gambling were available online.

The Press wrote in an article that appeared on Tuesday, “If the measure clears the State Senate and General Assembly Government, Wagering, Tourism, and Historic Preservation committees Thursday, it would go before both houses for floor votes Monday – the last day the current Legislature can vote before the session ends.” The bill would then be sent to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a rumored Republican Vice Presidential candidate who vetoed a similar measure in May.

In May, Christie asserted that the question of legalized internet gambling should be answered via a public referendum: “If the Legislature believes that expanding gambling outside of Atlantic City is in the best interests of the State of New Jersey, it should place the question on the ballot for the voters to decide.”

Closely involved in the saga is Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA) Chairman Joe Brennan (pictured), who told PocketFives on Wednesday that the recent Department of Justice clarification of the Wire Acthas resulted in increased interest in online gaming: “The DOJ memo changed little substantively, but it seems like it’s created the perception that something has changed, which is useful. If there’s increased enthusiasm, it’s useful politically.”

Brennan discussed why New Jersey is trying to act so quickly: “The issues that have created immediacy for New Jersey are Nevada moving aggressively and the deterioration of the Atlantic City casino market. Also, the vote on the sports betting bill being overwhelmingly positive – 2:1 in favor of it – has helped too. This internet gaming bill was actually introduced back in August.”

The recent public referendum about legalizing sports betting in New Jersey resulted in the state’s legislature now working to pass a related piece of legislation. If approved, the state’s new Attorney General will challenge the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, or PASPA, in order to allow wagering on sports.

Brennan noted that the internet gambling bill has received much more optimism due to the referendum on sports betting: “They initially wanted to get internet gambling done before the end of the year. There has been a lot of enthusiasm in Trenton in the wake of the sports betting vote. If the state can move sports betting, then they should be able to get internet gaming done as well. It may get done this week and next week or it may get done with the opening of the next legislative session.”

Will Christie (pictured) veto the internet gambling measure once again? “It remains to be seen what Christie will have to say,” Brennan evaluated. “It’ll be interesting to see if the DOJ memo has a positive effect on his outlook. Since there’s so much enthusiasm in other states and markets, whoever moves first will get the jobs and investments. So, if other states believe something has changed regarding the DOJ’s stance, then New Jersey could fall further down the list if it doesn’t act.”

Lesniak told the Press that waiting until the new legislative session to address internet gambling could have dire consequences: “We could be the Silicon Valley of internet gaming and it could mean billions of dollars in revenue for Atlantic City, and thousands of jobs. If we have to reintroduce it in the new session, we’d lose a lot of the momentum we have now to get it done.” Christie’s team did not respond to a request for comment from the Press.

Lesniak’s bill mandates that gaming servers be located in Atlantic City. Additionally, any bettors would also need to be seated within the state’s borders. The projections for how legalized internet gaming could benefit New Jersey include as many as 57,000 jobs and as much as $475 million in tax revenue. Meanwhile, other states like Iowa, Florida, and California could soon be discussing intrastate online gaming.

Stay tuned to PocketFives for the latest from New Jersey, Nevada, and beyond.