Last updated: December 20, 2024
New Jersey has expanded its self-exclusion program for Atlantic City casinos and online gambling, introducing a 24/7 online registration portal. The new system eliminates the need for in-person or video-call registrations, improving confidentiality and accessibility.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, along with the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE), said on Wednesday that it is expanding a program that is meant to help problem gamblers limit their access to casinos in Atlantic City.
All the forms of commercial gambling except that of the state lottery within New Jersey are overseen by the DGE.
During the year 2001, it started a self-exclusion program that allows one to exclude himself from any participation in Atlantic City gaming activities. In 2013, the DGE offered a different self-exclusion program for online gambling while in 2018; the program was expanded and included internet sports betting.
The self-exclusion program, over the last two decades, has necessitated that a person activate their self-exclusion registration either by physically visiting one of the shore casinos or by making an online video call with a DGE representative.
To be specific, Platkin and DGE announced on Monday that easier, confidential sign-up to enroll will now be available with no need to sign up in person and no need to endure a video call. Self-exclusion online is now available, and an around-the-clock consumer-accessible portal can now facilitate this from yesterday.
Platkin and the DGE collaborated in implementing the new online registration process, which they say is more confidential and flexible for those who want to exclude themselves from casinos.
“While gambling may be a source of enjoyment for some, it is not enjoyable for all, and I am dedicated to assisting those who would rather have a more aggressive way in dealing with their gaming”, Platkin said. Making the self-exclusion portal better can make it easier for someone looking to limit access to a casino, he added.
If preferred, one can still self-exclude in person and via video conference. However, Platkin and the DGE believe that more people will be more likely to self-exclude with the convenience of the online route.
“Enhancing the access to the self-exclusion process is a major step forward in our continuous efforts toward responsible gaming,” DGE Interim Director Mary Jo Flaherty said.
“This new online option puts people in charge by offering them a personal and streamlined way to make informed decisions about their behaviors, thereby ensuring they have the tools they need to put themselves first.”
The site now offers self-exclusion enrollment only for iGaming and both brick-and-mortar casinos and internet gaming.
Gambling counselors and responsible gaming advocates agree that self-exclusion is one of the most effective ways a person suffering from a gambling disorder can reduce the negative impact of their illness. At present, there are no drugs that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat or reduce a gambling disorder. Specialists in gambling addiction say that the best way to treat it is through integrated therapy combined with the individual’s choice to self-exclude from gaming.
Such experts believe that enrollment in a self-exclusion program for one year, five years, or lifetime proves commitment to dealing with the gambling problem and lowers the chances of relapse. In fact, most legal gaming markets in the U.S. would also require casinos and online gaming operators to be proactive with responsible gaming tools and implement options for customers to limit either: the amount of time playing; the amount of exposure to risk; the money lost; or the times one can make deposits.
