As the summer legislative session comes to an end, the increasing prominence of New Jersey sports betting and casinos has prompted the drafting of multiple consumer protection bills in the state.
Protecting the Public
With the advent of regulated sports betting in 33 states and counting, the proliferation of sports betting advertisements on behalf of the online sportsbooks that vie for every piece of the state’s gambling pie has sharply increased.
Enter New Jersey State Senator Joe Cryan who introduced bill S-4021 which would prohibit New Jersey sports betting and casino operators from using fraudulent or deceptive ads aimed at the general public.
The consumer protection legislation also prohibits gambling platform providers from targeting those who have placed themselves on the self-exclusion list and people under 21, the legal age to gamble in the state.
Cryan said, “It’s even money that it passes.” He also added, “We’ve got a responsibility as a state to provide restrictions where they’re feasible, and in the public interest, and these are.”
The bill, as currently drafted, includes the following provisions:
- Sports pool-related advertising of sports wagering licensees or their contracted operators must not be deceptive or fraudulent.
- Advertisements should not be directed at individuals on the self-exclusion list established in accordance with section 1 of P.L.2001, c.39 (C.5:12-71.2).
- Advertisements should not directly target individuals who are under the legal age for gambling.
Extension of Legislation
New Jersey was the nation’s trailblazer in getting sports betting licensed and regulated in the United States through its successful argument to the U.S. Supreme Court that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, aka PASPA, the law prohibiting sports betting in all but a few jurisdictions, was unconstitutional.
Shortly after signing the sports betting legislation into law back in 2018, Governor Phil Murphy released a statement that said, “Today, we’re finally making the dream of legalized sports betting a reality for New Jersey.
“It means that our casinos in Atlantic City and our racetracks throughout our state can attract new business and new fans, boosting their own long-term financial prospects. This is the right move for New Jersey and it will strengthen our economy.”
… and Success
And because of that successful gambit, Garden State has reaped billions of dollars through legalized sports betting and iGaming. However, the law allowing it will expire in November but legislation, S-3075, co-sponsored by James Beach and Vincent J. Polistina, would enact a 10-year extension through 2033.
“The legalization of online gambling and sports betting was a catalyst for struggling casinos in the aftermath of the Great Recession,” Polistina said in a release. “In places like Atlantic City, internet gaming has created a number of good paying jobs for workers as well as generating millions of dollars in tax revenues for the state.”
Polistina also added “Internet gaming has kept New Jersey at the forefront of an evolving gambling industry. This extension supports the integral role that the internet plays in shaping the current and future success of casinos in New Jersey.”
Calculators
