New Jersey reaped billions from slot machines and blackjack tables in the decades before casino fever jumped state lines. With Atlantic City’s gambling heyday now past, politicians in the Garden State are aiming to grab marijuana’s riches while neighbors again play catch-up.
Democrat Phil Murphy, with a 25 percentage-point lead in New Jersey’s race for governor, has vowed to legalize recreational pot statewide, and has support from key lawmakers likely to win re-election in November.