New Jersey to appoint responsible gaming coordinator
The new role will be part of a series of new initiatives on responsible gambling.
US.- New Jersey attorney general Matthew J. Platkin and Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) director David Rebuck have announced new initiatives to promote responsible gaming. A new responsible gaming coordinator will be appointed. There will also be new advertising standards for operators and easier access to self-exclusion for players.
Platkin made the announcement before regulators and industry representatives at the East Coast Gaming Congress held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. The new measures will be added to the DGE’s Responsible Gaming Initiative, which was announced in February. The programme aims to identify and help players with gambling problems by using data on playing habits collected by online gaming operators.
The new responsible gaming coordinator will be an attorney and will identify “gaps and problems” in New Jersey’s responsible gaming efforts, reporting directly to the gaming enforcement director.
New advertising standards will restrict ads from appearing in locations that might entice someone under 21 years of age, require the 1-800-Gambler hotline to be displayed, and include opt-outs in online ads. Operators will be banned from making promises of “guaranteed wins” or “risk-free bets” if the bettor isn’t fully compensated for losses.
Platkin said: “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. By establishing a dedicated, senior-level position within the Division of Gaming Enforcement to focus on responsible gaming, we are sending a clear message that we take this work seriously – and so should the industry.
“Our other initiatives announced today will help protect consumers and make it easier for individuals to access the help they need when their gaming behavior becomes problematic.”
Rebuck added: “We have seen tremendous growth in sports wagering and online gaming in New Jersey. In the face of that boom, we have a duty to protect the public from advertising that could be misleading or harmful. And for those in the grip of gambling addiction, we need to offer as many exit ramps from their condition as possible.”
New Jersey gaming revenue reaches $487.4m in March
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has reported on the state’s gaming revenue for March. The state’s casinos, horse tracks that offer sports betting and the online partners of both reported $487.4m, up 15 per cent compared to March 2022’s $423.7m.
The casino win for the nine Atlantic City casino hotel properties was $228.6m, up 5.6 per cent compared to $216.6m in March 2022. The online gaming win was $165.7, up 17.8 per cent year-on-year from $140.7m. Sports wagering gross revenue was $93m, a 40.1 per cent increase from $66.4m.
