New Jersey bill would replace criminal charges for underage gambling with civil fines
Senate Bill 597 would end the disorderly persons charge for people under 21 who gamble at a casino or simulcasting facility.
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A bipartisan bill in the state Senate would replace the criminal penalty for underage gambling at New Jersey casinos with a civil fine.
Senate Bill 597 would end the disorderly persons charge for people under 21 who gamble at a casino or simulcasting facility. Under current law, the offense carries a fine of $500 to $1,000 and a low-level offense on the person's record.
The bill would replace that with civil fines of up to $500 for a first offense, up to $1,000 for a second offense and up to $2,000 for a third offense and any after that.
The same penalties would apply to casino licensees and employees who allow an underage person to stay or gamble - and to adults who knowingly allow someone in their care to gamble. Casinos would keep an existing defense if the underage person falsely claimed in writing to be of age, looked old enough and the casino acted in good faith.
The bill would also change where the money goes. Fines would be paid into the state's General Fund, and the Legislature would appropriate them to the Department of Human Services for compulsive gambling prevention, education and treatment programs.
The bill is sponsored by Sens. James Beach and Vincent Polistina.
Sens. Kristin Corrado, Shirley Turner and John McKeon are co-sponsors.
Polistina said in a statement the amount of gambling advertising young people see should be part of the discussion.
"Gambling has become a much bigger part of everyday life, from sports broadcasts and commercials to social media and the constant stream of betting ads people see online," Polistina said. "Young people are exposed to it more than ever, and that should be taken into consideration when deciding how to handle underage gambling violations."
He said the bill is not meant to excuse violations.
"Now, underage gambling should never be encouraged and casinos have a responsibility to follow the law, but a criminal offense is an unnecessarily harsh consequence for a kid who makes a mistake," Polistina said. "This bill keeps penalties in place, increases fines for repeat violations, and directs the money collected toward gambling addiction prevention, education, and treatment."
"We can hold people accountable while taking a more constructive approach that recognizes the world young people are growing up in and helps prevent future problems," he said.
S597 has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
