ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey lawmakers are considering loosening their sports betting restrictions to allow the owner of the Golden Nugget casino to accept bets on most National Basketball Association teams.

Texas billionaire Tilman Fertitta owns the casino and also owns the NBA's Houston Rockets.

When New Jersey lawmakers legalized sports betting last year, a provision in the law banned team owners from placing or accepting bets on any games involving their sport.

It was directly aimed at the Golden Nugget and enacted over protests that Nevada regulators allow Fertitta's casinos to take bets on pro basketball games as long as they don't involve the Rockets.

A bill introduced Monday in the New Jersey Legislature would allow team owners to take bets on games involving other teams in their leagues but not their own.