New Jersey lawmakers pass resolution condemning “overproliferation” of gambling ads
Bills under consideration include prohibition on college-based sportsbook advertising at colleges as well as legislation instituting RG-related treatment and education programs
Legislators in New Jersey have advanced a resolution aiming to curb a perceived “overproliferation” of gambling advertising in the Garden State, as well as instituting responsible gambling reform.
Assembly resolution 168, sponsored by Assemblymen Ralph Caputo, James J Kennedy, and William B Sampson IV, condemns operators, calling on them to “exercise restraint and good judgement” in their advertisements in the state.
The resolution, first tabled in December, successfully passed through the New Jersey Assembly’s Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee yesterday afternoon by a single vote, 4-3.
“In a time when online sports betting and gaming has made gambling accessible anywhere, the risks associated with gambling addiction are heightened,” a statement included with the resolution read.
“As sports betting and gaming has become more accessible, national addiction service groups are seeing dramatic increases in calls to their hotlines.
“Yet, despite these known risks, many sports betting companies and casinos continue to invest heavily in advertisements that target those suffering from addiction, young people, including those who are not yet of a legal age to gamble, and other vulnerable groups.
“They also continue to use advertising techniques that irresponsibly encourage excessive gambling and inaccurately present the real risks,” it adds.
Caputo’s resolution is just one of several working its way through the Assembly during this term targeting a more responsible approach to gambling advertising by operators.
Assembly bill A5226, also voted through by the committee during hearings yesterday, would prohibit institutions of higher education from engaging in partnerships with sports betting operators immediately.
Assembly bill 420 would see the establishment of a ‘Gambling Treatment Diversion Court Pilot Program’ for the treatment of at-risk gamblers and those who have been involved in crimes occurring as a result of at-risk gambling.
The pilot program is to be administered by the Administrative Office of the Courts, with courts established in the north, south, and central areas of the state. The bill is modeled after a similar program currently in place in Nevada.
Assembly bill 5308, also tabled by Caputo, would require school districts to “provide instruction on risks of compulsive gambling” within pre-existing student learning standards in health and physical education.
Affecting grades nine through 12, this will include information on the dangers of gambling addiction, taking risks with personal finances or personal assets, and probability versus predictability.
In support of this, New Jersey’s Commissioner of Education Angelica Allen-McMillan has been tasked with providing sample learning activities and developing a training module for public school teachers as part of the program.
All four legislative initiatives must pass through a second reading before a final Assembly vote, at which point they can be passed through the Senate.