New Jersey Simplifies Gambling Self-Exclusion with Online Option

Earlier this month, we reported a change lawmakers in New Jersey are considering that seeks to make the penalty for underage gambling lenient. Proposing fines instead of charges, the new model calls for enforcing fines between $500 and $2,000 in cases of underage gambling.

Now, another change plans to affect the way gamblers can self-exclude from such activities across the state.

New Jersey Regulator Will Accept Self-Exclusion Requests

As announced by the Associated Press, New Jersey will now permit residents who want to self-exclude from land-based gambling to do so by submitting a request online. Such requests will be handled by the state’s gambling regulator, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE).

The easy process enables residents to list their names on the state’s self-exclusion list, without the need to visit a retail casino or participate in a video conference. To help facilitate the process and ensure that self-excluded patrons are not permitted to gamble, the state authorities will notify casinos about the name of the person and also include a photo of each individual.

Ultimately, the self-exclusion list seeks to prevent gamblers from engaging in the activity by banning them from casinos and online gambling. Any brick-and-mortar casino across the state is required to check the self-exclusion list and ensure that individuals who gamble are not on it. In addition, licensed operators are also prohibited from advertising to self-excluded individuals in what is extra protection for such vulnerable groups.

People Struggling with Gambling Addiction Can Self-Exclude Easily

MaryJo Flaherty, DGE’s acting director, spoke about the importance of the new feature that grants New Jersey residents an easy and private way to self-exclude from gambling. According to the executive, the method ensures “they have the resources they need to prioritize their well-being.”

The decision to ease the process for self-exclusion was announced by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office and the DGE. In the words of the state’s Attorney General, Matthew Platkin, self-excluding online from land-based casinos will make “it easier for those struggling with addiction to manage their recovery.”

Operators who allow a self-excluded person to gamble may be subjected to fines and additional license conditions.

Last month, the state reported its strongest November for more than a decade. DGE data confirmed that the results reported by licensed gambling operators in New Jersey last month were the best in the last 11 years for this particular month.