New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was at it again yesterday, as he revealed he was transferring the powers of the state's Casino Control Commission, which has ruled the casinos for 32 years since their introduction in 1978, to the Division of Gaming Enforcement

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The DGE operates under the executive branch, giving the governor clearer control of Atlantic City casino operation.

The proposed new legislation will go through committee review in both houses of the legislature, and will not take effect for six months after passage.

One major effect of the change will be to remove casino floor supervision 24 hours a day, and require only registration rather than licensing of non-key personnel.

The Control Commission currently has 269 employees, which includes 139 gaming inspectors, of whom 60 or so are eligible for retirement.

The chairwoman of the Casino Control Commission was vacationing in Austria when the 201-page document was announced last week, but her chief of staff, David Scanlan, said, “We are working with the governor’s office and the legislature to craft a regulatory reform proposal to preserve efficiencies and savings, while also maintaining the strict integrity of the current system.”

Christie’s proposal deals only with Atlantic City and its casinos, but the New Jersey racing industry might brace itself for further announcements from Trenton.

(Harness Tracks of America)