Last updated: February 26, 2024
New Jersey DGE: Lower High-Risk Gambling, Still Above US Average.
The rate of high-risk problem gambling in New Jersey has decreased, according to the Division of Gaming Enforcement, although it is still higher than the US national average.
Based on a follow-up study conducted in 2017 following the legalization of sports wagering in the state, the data originate from a survey funded by the DGE and titled “The Prevalence of Online and Land-Based Gambling in New Jersey.”
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin of New Jersey underlined the state’s dedication to combating gambling addiction as the gaming sector grows. He emphasized the value of a thorough report in determining the difficulties faced by vulnerable groups and creating assistance initiatives.”
The report, which was written by a group of researchers under the direction of Dr. Lia Nower, JD, PhD, of the Center for Gambling Studies at the Rutgers University School of Social Work, was made public during Responsible Gaming Education Month as part of the month’s last week’s theme, “Advancing Responsible Gaming with Research.”
3,512 state citizens who are 18 years of age or older were polled for the report between December 9, 2020, and April 30, 2021, using phone and online surveys. Their self-reported play patterns were analyzed.
Participation in consideration, chance, and prize-related activities was covered in the survey, along with questions concerning 15 different activities: scratch-off tickets, instant lottery tickets, high-risk stocks, gaming machines, skill games, live casino table games, sports betting, season fantasy sports, bingo, cryptocurrency trading, live poker or poker tournaments, daily fantasy sports, horse racetrack or off-track, keno, and sports wagering.
The dedication to responsible gaming is emphasized by David Rebuck, Director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, who also stresses the significance of establishing boundaries and getting assistance for people who are struggling with gambling problems. He exhorts operators and players to keep a fair-minded attitude toward gaming.
Along with the report, Platkin has launched a number of initiatives to promote responsible gaming in the state, such as a responsible gaming coordinator, easier access to self-exclusion, advertising standards, and utilizing technology in conjunction with operators to identify and support players who pose a risk.
What Nower said was that “New Jersey has been at the forefront of scrutinizing online betting and its effects on residents.” She emphasized that the report provides important data to inform prevention and education programs, with an emphasis on the populations most at risk of developing gambling disorders: younger adults, members of racial and ethnic minorities, and those who play multiple games on both online and offline platforms.
The overall rate of high-risk problem gambling dropped to 5.6% (2017: 6.3%), according to the report’s findings, while the rate of low- and moderate-risk gambling dropped to roughly 13% (2017: 15%).
However, the study discovered that New Jersey has a problem gambling rate that is roughly three times higher than the US national average, much like the 2017 report did.
Looking at the vertical data, the percentage of people who bet on sports has increased to 19% (2017: 15%), the percentage of people who gamble only online has tripled to almost 15% (2017: 5%), the percentage of people who bet both online and in-person has nearly doubled to 36% (2017: 19%), and the percentage of people who gamble in physical casinos has decreased to 49% (2017: 76%).
Sixty-one percent of survey respondents said they had engaged in one or more of the fifteen specified gambling activities in the previous year (compared to seventy percent in 2017). Those who were classified as “gamblers” engaged in an average of 3.5 activities (compared to three in 2017).
The DGE, in collaboration with partner agencies, will examine responsible gaming policies based on survey data. These agencies include the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, the New Jersey Lottery Commission, and the New Jersey Racing Commission, which oversee other gambling forms mentioned in the report.
The executive director of the New Jersey Lottery, James Carey, emphasized the organization’s commitment to responsible gaming and the prevention of problem and underage gambling. In order to strengthen their efforts at responsible gaming, he emphasized their collaboration with the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey and the World Lottery Association’s independent review.
Marilyn Chavez is an associate researcher at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, where she studied the mathematical probabilities and aspects of casino games like slot machines. She’s written several case studies which have been published by multiple problem-gaming institutions to help spread awareness about the dangers of online gambling and gambling addiction. She also presented a 2019 Ted talk on the topic of gambling among minors.
