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Not hedging its bets

As New Jersey prepares to host the NFL’s first cold-weather Super Bowl, at least one storm cloud already is looming on the horizon — the legal battle over sports betting here.

The six-month-old lawsuit has set the state against the NFL, among other leagues, creating a high-profile standoff between two of the parties that have also teamed up for next year’s big game. It may be far too early to say how the situation affects New Jersey’s chances of getting another Super Bowl, but insiders say the two sides have seemed to separate the matters to this point.

“That issue is that issue, and getting the Super Bowl here … is another issue,” one person said, referring to preparations for the upcoming game.

The Garden State’s quest to legalize sports wagering already has had some collateral damage. In October, the NCAA said it would pull six events from New Jersey, citing the new betting regulations, including regionals for wrestling, swimming and Division I women’s basketball, and championships for men’s volleyball and women’s lacrosse.

New Jersey’s law seeks to allow sports betting at casinos and racetracks, which advocates say is key to helping the struggling industries. But in August, the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and NCAA filed suit to kill the law, alleging it violates the 20-year-old federal ban on sports betting in 46 states; the federal government has since joined the suit on the leagues’ side.