Jersey sets phone-betting rules

Regulations for phone betting in New Jersey cleared their first hurdle Wednesday in the state racing commission. There will be a 60-day public notice period, and final approval could come by Feb. 19, said commission Deputy Director Mike Vukcevich.

The regulations will allow New Jersey residents to place bets by telephone or computer through an account-wagering operation run by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority or contracted by the authority, Vukcevich said. The authority owns Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands.

Bruce Garland, the authority's vice president for racing, said Thursday that the authority has not yet decided whether it will run its own account-wagering operation. In the meantime, the authority is attempting to put together a partnership of all the racetracks in the state, a requirement under the law before the authority can take any account bets.