New Jersey Updates Problem Gambling and Advertising Regulations

Article ByDavid Weir

April 24, 2023

Spread the Word:

Posted in: New Jersey Gambling News, US Gambling News

The state of New Jersey has changed its gambling regulations, aiming to combat problem gambling.

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin revealed the new initiatives late last week.

These changes include a new set of rules on advertising standards, the appointment of a Responsible Gaming Coordinator, and a new helpline to facilitate easier sign up to the state’s existing cross-operator self-exclusion list.

Grow and Mature

“As New Jersey’s gaming and sports wagering industries continue to grow and mature, so do our obligations to assist patrons who are at risk for problem gambling,” Platkin told reporters last Thursday. He was speaking at the East Coast Gaming Conference, held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in NJ’s Atlantic City.

The advertising curbs he has helped introduce will focus on that front. The term “risk-free bets” has been mentioned by politicians across the US in recent weeks. New Jersey has now banned signage using those specific words, unless they can guarantee that they really are risk-free.

Adverts must also feature the national gambling hotline at some point, whether text or video.

New Jersey’s online gambling market has seen huge growth since 2018, when it became the second state to legalize gambling. The state’s online online gambling operators now take in more than $1 billion in handle a month.

The new regulation will also make New Jersey’s voluntary gambling self-exclusion process easier to register for and understand. It will now have a 24/7 phone line set up to help people who want to put themselves on the list.

Once listed, players will not be allowed to gamble at physical or online venues available in New Jersey.

“In the face of that boom, we must protect the public from advertising that could be misleading or harmful. said New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement director David Rebuck, who was also at the conference in Atlantic City.

“And for those in the grip of gambling addiction, we need to offer as many exit ramps from their condition as possible.”

Gaming Coordinator

These new rules will be overseen by whomever is appointed to a new position in New Jersey’s regulatory apparatus. The Responsible Gaming Coordinator will have a full-time team tasked with ensuring the state’s gambling operators stick to the rules.

The new position is expected to be filled by an internal candidate from the DA’s office.

Whoever is chosen will have a lot of work to do, as the state has recently introduced other changes. And politicians are considering more.

Proposals written up by lawmakers in the past month include gambling treatment diversion as an alternative to incarceration for some crimes involving problem gambling, as reported by NJ Spotlight News.

In February, just before Super Bowl LVII, New Jersey regulators told state sportsbooks they will now be required to analyze customer data for potential problem gambling patterns.