Under a bill in the New Jersey Senate, minors caught gambling at the state’s casinos or off-track betting venues would no longer face criminal charges.
The bipartisan effort would eliminate criminal penalties involving disorderly persons offenses against under-21 gamblers and instead impose civil fines under the state Casino Control Act. The legislation takes a problem-gambling treatment approach to underage gambling.
Senate Bill 597 is sponsored by Sen. James Beach (D) and Sen. Vincent Polistina (R). It would set fines up to $500 for a first offense, rising to $1,000 for a second offense and up to $2,000 beyond that.
Growing Competition In Region
The bill completely removes the criminal element regarding minors who gamble. The same goes for casino employees or other adults who knowingly allow a minor to wager. The same civil fine structure applies to them, according to Shore News Network.
Staff who are presented with false identification from a minor would still have a viable defense under the law. This stipulation was already in place under current regulations.
The changes come as New York awarded three downstate casino licenses in January. Resorts World New York City received one of those licenses and has already begun transitioning into a full-scale casino.
It means additional competition for Atlantic City’s casinos. They’ve already seen online gaming revenue in the state top revenue from retail casinos several times over the last few years. That continued in August, with live casino numbers falling 5.5%.
Growing Responsible Gaming Push
The proposed law change comes as several other states have also pushed for additional responsible gaming measures.
In January, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) outlined several proposals to help curb underage gambling. In April, the New York Gaming Commission followed that up by releasing proposals to combat addiction and underage gambling.
Colorado has also enacted several measures to prevent problem gambling, including banning the use of credit cards to fund sports betting accounts.
In recent years, government officials, gaming regulators, and experts have become more concerned about problem gambling. A recent report found a large gap between gaming companies’ spending on ads compared to responsible gambling spending.
