New Jersey proposes mandatory responsible gaming rules
The rules are intended to set clear standards for online gaming and sports betting operators.
US.- New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) has proposed a set of new rules aimed at strengthening responsible gaming (RG) practices across the state’s online and mobile gaming sectors. The regulations N.J.A.C. 13:69O-1.2A seek to standardise existing best practices and ensure earlier, more direct intervention when there are signs of gambling harm. The proposal is open for public comment until November 14.
If the proposal is approved, operators would have to appoint a designated responsible gaming lead (RG Lead), who would be in charge of identifying and maintaining a list of at-risk patrons. The RG Lead will also be tasked with ensuring these customers receive responsible gaming information and resources, including details on operator-offered features like time, loss, and deposit limits, cool-off periods, self-exclusion options, and account closure procedures.
At-risk patrons would have to be shielded from direct ads, marketing, promotions, and invitations to gaming events. A patron may be removed from the at-risk list if they cease to trigger any criteria for 180 days following a review, provided their activity shows no potential problem gaming behaviour.
The proposed rule also mandates that operators incorporate a minimum of 12 specific patron play criteria as automatic triggers for a “due diligence review”:
- 1. A patron’s deposits exceed $10,000 over a 24-hour period;
- 2. A patron’s deposits exceed $100,000 over a 90-day period;
- 3. A patron accesses the self-exclusion request page but does not complete the process three or more times in a 30-day period;
- 4. A patron requests a second cool-off period within 45 days of the conclusion of the first
- 5. A patron makes three consecutive increases to any responsible gaming limits without any decreases within a seven-day period;
- 6. A patron cancels withdrawal requests prior to processing three times in a 10-day period;
- 7. The total turnover of a patron’s account exceeds $1,000,000 in a 90-day period;
- 8. A patron’s time spent logged in increases by 50 per cent or more during the current week compared to the preceding two-week period;
- 9. A patron ends two or more gambling/gaming sessions in the same week with a balance of less than $1.00
- 10. A patron concludes two or more sessions in a week with an increase in the number of wagers from the previous session;
- 11. Any additional triggers identified by the operator to be potential indicators of problem gaming behavior; or
- 12. Any additional triggers identified by the Division through a Director’s Order and notice to the operators.
Operators would be required to act according to a phased escalation model. Phase One directs the company to contact the player by email or another method. Phase Two orders operators to block further wagering until the customer has watched a DGE‑approved video tutorial on responsible gambling. Phase Three requires direct contact from the RG Lead, by phone, video call or other approved method. If contact attempts fail, the account must be suspended until dialogue is achieved.
