Bill > SCR31

Introduced Session

This constitutional amendment would give the Legislature authority to establish slot machine gambling at horse racetracks. Upon approval of this amendment, the Legislature would pass a law prescribing the specific kind, restrictions, and control of operations of such slot machine gambling. The State's share of revenues derived from such slot machine gambling would be dedicated as follows: 60 percent, to be deposited as received, into the contingent reserve funds of the State-administered defined benefit retirement systems to support the State's annual contribution to these systems or into an account to support the payment of debt service on pension obligation bonds, as the Legislature will provide by law; 30 percent allocated proportionally based on the size of investment in Atlantic City to members of a consortium of casino license owners and operators operating in Atlantic City as of December 15, 2015 or thereafter in accordance with such formulas as the Legislature shall provide by law; seven percent to fund programs dedicated for the purposes of the recovery, stabilization, or improvement of Atlantic City, as the Legislature shall provide by law; and three percent for programs to aid the thoroughbred and standardbred horsemen in the State, as the Legislature shall provide by law. The eligibility for each initial license to establish and operate a gambling house or casino shall be limited to: a holder of a New Jersey casino license that was operating a casino which was conducting gambling on December 15, 2015; and any person licensed as a principal owner of a holder of a New Jersey casino license that was operating a casino which was conducting gambling on December 15, 2015. Thereafter, the operator and principal owner of slot machine gambling at a horse racetrack must also hold a license to operate or own, as operator, a casino in Atlantic City. The operation of slot machines at horse racetracks would be mutually beneficial to both the casino industry and the horse racing industry. Racetrack slot machine gambling would provide an opportunity for casino industry operators to expand beyond the boundaries of Atlantic City and reach patrons who may not otherwise consider traveling to that city to engage in gambling activities. For the racetrack industry, the slot machines would increase attendance, drawing patrons who may not otherwise consider traveling to racetracks at which horse racing is the sole activity on which to wager. Additionally, the State would benefit from this mutually beneficial casino industry-racing industry relationship, through increased tax revenue generated directly and indirectly by new racetrack slot machine operations.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Joe Cryan (D)*,  Joe Pennacchio (R)*,  Declan O'Scanlon (R), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document