Sports betting apps are shown on a mobile phone. Photo by USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
New Jersey has long been a haven for legal gambling in the United States. As responsible gaming gains steam across the country, the Garden State is looking at ways to get ahead of the trend.
New Jersey state Sen. John McKeon (D-Essex) has proposed Senate Bill 4280, which would make it mandatory for betting operators in New Jersey to send a monthly win/loss statement to all bettors. Such statements would include the amount of money wagered, money won and money lost since the end of the previous month.
Additionally, the law would require the notification sent as a push notification to the bettor’s electronic device. This would force the notification to come separate from the betting app, so bettors wouldn’t be required to enter the app to see their win/loss statements. McKeon has said this step is necessary to ensure that the bettor sees the statement, as it’s harder to ignore a push notification.
“While the legalization of sports betting has clearly been an economic windfall, the testimony we heard on the human cost is staggering,” McKeon said. “An estimated 200,000 New Jerseyans are grappling with gambling addiction, some starting as young as seven years old, and the problem only seems to be intensifying.”
Why Is New Jersey Considering Increasing Responsible Gaming Protections?
The Garden State certainly isn’t going to cut back on available gambling options. New Jersey famously led the fight to make sports betting legal nationwide, ending Las Vegas’ near-monopoly on the practice. Atlantic City has long been a thriving haven for betting enthusiasts, and New Jersey has been one of the most open states in expanding legal betting options.
But the state has a problem with gamblers becoming addicted. According to Felicia Grondin, the Executive Director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, 6% of the state’s legal betting population are problem gamblers. That is far higher than the national average of 1 to 3%.
Under former attorney general Matt Platkin, New Jersey began a program aimed at educating the state on responsible gaming. Current attorney general Jennifer Davenport has continued that, and the state has continued to look for ways to help protect New Jersey bettors.
What Is the State of Gambling in New Jersey?
New Jersey earned roughly $2.91 billion last year from legal online betting, behind only Pennsylvania and Michigan. Notably, all three states have long had legal online casino gambling, known as iGaming. Additionally, those represent three of the largest states with minimal restrictions on online gambling.
Since it became legal, online betting has become the dominant form of gambling nationwide. That includes New Jersey, where the majority of bettors prefer to bet on their phones or other electronic device. Even though land-based casinos are prevalent in New Jersey, bettors still prefer being able to use their phones.
How Likely Is the Bill to Become Law?
It’s unclear, but it will certainly receive discussion. New Jersey is considering several proposals to increase both protections and revenues, including one that would reverse a ban on sweepstakes casinos. New Jersey banned the practice last year, but the state is considering ending the ban and instead regulating them the same way that iGaming is.
With responsible gaming coming up for several discussions and McKeon in the majority party, his bill will likely merit strong consideration. That said, it’s a ways from becoming law, as it’s just been introduced in the state senate. Unlike many states, New Jersey legislative sessions run from January through December, so this bill could be discussed at any time.
If it passes both chambers and receives Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s signature, SB 4280 would take effect immediately.