After being rejected twice in federal court, the state appealed to the nation's highest court in February in a last-ditch effort to overturn a 22-year-old federal law preventing New Jersey from permitting state-sanctioned sports betting at casinos and horse-racing tracks.
But the justices today declined to hear the case, allowing the lower court rulings to stand.
Christie said he was disappointed but suggested the state will now give up its two-year battle.
"It's always a long shot to get certiorati from the United State Supreme Court," the Republican governor said before playing in a charity softball game at Yankee Stadium this morning. "That's the way it goes. They said no, so we have to move on."
But two leading Democratic lawmakers said they'll continue to fight. State Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), who has led the legalization effort, introduced a bill today to sidestep the issue by repealing old state laws prohibiting sports betting at casinos and horse tracks and allowing private companies to have sports wagering operations without state regulation.
Lesniak said he hopes to pass the bill soon so Monmouth Park in Oceanport can begin accepting bets by September, in time for the start of the NFL season.
