Jersey starts off with an early lead

In the tri-state race to adopt sports betting, the safe money is on New Jersey.

The operator of Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, NJ, says he could be taking bets in time for the NBA finals this month, while Gov. Cuomo said, “I wouldn’t expect anything this year” in New York.

“Obviously, I’m very happy,” said Dennis Drazin, chair and CEO of Darby Development, which runs Monmouth Park.

He said he would be taking wagers in two weeks’ time.

The future of sports betting in New York was unclear.

Cuomo in 2013 approved four new upstate casinos empowered to take sports bets, pending licensure from the state Gaming Commission, if the federal law banning such wagers was overturned.

But with the law struck down on Monday, Cuomo claimed that the casinos still need law- makers’ approval to book bets.

“I don’t see any way shortterm that they can do it without legislative action,” he said.

But that’s not how Assemblyman Gary Pretlow, chair of the Assembly’s Committee on Racing and Wagering, sees it.

“We put it in the hands of the Gaming Commission, but that’s already in law,” the Mount Vernon Democrat said.

“So they can theoretically start tomorrow. The Gaming Commission can set up regulations within the parameters of what we’ve already done, and they can go to it.”

The commission hasn’t taken that step yet.

“We are reviewing this morning’s decision and its potential implications for the state of New York,” said commission spokesman Brad Maione, who added that regulations were “being drafted.”

Pretlow’s state Senate coun- terpart, John Bonacic, introduced a bill in March to expand sports wagering to racinos and off-track betting parlors.

“I am confident that working together with my colleagues in both the Senate and Assembly, we can have a bill ready for governor’s signature by the end of the session [June 20],” said the Middletown Republican.

Don’t expect to place any bets in Connecticut, however.

The state’s Legislature did not pass any sports-betting laws before its session ended Wednesday, and Native American-operated casinos such as Mohegan Sun are not allowed to take sports bets under their existing compact with the state.

Gov. Dannel Malloy said on Monday that he was considering calling a special session to enact sports betting there, The Washington Post reported.