On February 7, 2023 – the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) made public a new responsible gambling policy via a press release. The document states this new gambling code of conduct aims to use technology that gathers data to identify players who show signs of harmful behavior and are prone to addiction. In an effort to assist at risk gamblers, DGE Director David Rebuck said this new approach involves alerting the governmental agency to their suspected condition and informing players about responsible gambling features and corrective actions they can take in early stages. Read more about this new online betting policy in NJ below and find out what benefits it brings to you as a player!
The new responsible gambling policy has been in planning since March 2022 and represents a milestone in the online gambling industry, as it is the first program of this nature to be implemented in the United States. The purpose of this new gambling code of conduct is to complement the existing responsible gaming security measures available in New Jersey and prevent addiction by detecting early warning signs, rather than just treating it. The DGE will work with all legal NJ casino sites to use technology that will conduct an analysis of electronically maintained player data to determine whether any of their platform users are exhibiting early signs of problem gambling behavior. Here are the main problem warning signs online casinos in New Jersey will monitor as requested by the new responsible gambling policy:
In the press release, CCGNJ Executive Director Felicia Grondin said “The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey is encouraged by the DGE’s efforts to identify online betting behavior in an effort to assist at risk gamblers. Given the increasing popularity of online gambling, initiatives such as this are more important than ever […]This effort, in conjunction with our virtual and in-person problem gambling trainings for industry employees, makes for a more thorough approach to identify and assist those who may be suffering.”
New Jersey bettors have access to multiple resources when it comes to problem gambling and addiction. Institutions such as the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), the National Center for Responsible Gambling (NCRG), and the Council on Compulsive Gambling of NJ (800-Gambler) make constant efforts to assist NJ residents and their families that are facing these problems. However, this new online gambling regulation will tackle the issues before they aggravate and support bettors who are showing early signs of problem gambling or addiction.
Keith Whyte, the executive director for the National Council on Problem Gambling and an avid advocate of these matters, stated on his social networks that the new responsible gambling policy in NJ will have an immediate and direct impact, as it will help collect and analyze data that will eventually determine the “more predictive markers of harm.” He also encouraged regulators from other states to implement a similar online gambling regulation to protect players and curb potentially harmful behaviors.
In other words, this new responsible gambling policy in NJ will benefit you in case you’re dealing with wagering control issues. In the event the NJ online casino platform you’re playing on detects you are exhibiting warning signs, it will approach you in several ways, depending if the signs are recurring after being presented with the first resources to address the problem. See what these methods include below!
The above-mentioned responsible gambling policy is just one part of a broader effort to promote these practices, as lawmakers have already advanced a new NJ online gambling law to combat this issue. On March 20, the state Assembly Tourism, Gaming & The Arts Committee unanimously advanced bill A420, which proposes the introduction of a gambling addiction diversion court in New Jersey. The new online gaming law for this initiative is being advocated for as yet another necessary measure to help the increasing number of players displaying problematic behaviors related to online gambling.
If implemented, New Jersey would be the third state in the U.S. to have a gambling addiction diversion court, following the footsteps of Nevada and Connecticut. Moreover, this court would operate similarly to drug and recovery courts, which proved to be effective in treating those convicted of nonviolent offenses related to their addiction.
