AC and Fantasy Sports

Atlantic City is a disaster and especially so since Pennsylvania and Maryland legalized table games. And let's be honest, even before that AC was tolerable at best - and that's if you were careful enough not to stray more than a block from the Boardwalk casinos.

I sympathize with Chris Christie's failed efforts to revitalize the city. To me, the opportunity to provide sports book betting - a la Las Vegas - is the most feasible and sensible strategy to differentiate AC from its eastern gambling competitors and give it a shot at redemption. I also understand that federal law precludes New Jersey and AC from doing this - which deserves its own investigation as to why Las Vegas- and Las Vegas alone - gets this betting monopoly.

In any case, after all of these other failed strategies I'm prompted to wonder why Christie and city leaders don't pursue the fantasy sports sites to operate in the state, specifically Atlantic City. Fan Duel and DraftKings are being besieged by regulators in other states but they would seem to be a natural fit for AC. 

It's pseudo-betting (sponsored by the professional sports leagues no less), would provide a safe haven to the businesses, is a starting point to expand fantasy sports (League Draft Weekend Packages!), and is a foot in the door to possible expanded professional sports betting down the road. At the very least, it's a placeholder.

And really, at this point what has Atlantic City and New Jersey have to lose?