The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) and Attorney General Matthew Platkin have announced a new Responsible Gaming initiative to identify and help problem gamblers.

The DGE will work with online sportsbook companies to use technology to identify and work to address at-risk customers, with operators required to analyze electronically maintained player data to determine whether a customer is showing signs of problem gambling behaviour.

The recently launched initiative has been in planning since March of last year and supplement the state’s existing responsible gaming safeguards.

“Under the Murphy Administration, New Jersey has become a national leader in online casino games and sports wagering, and with that growth comes a responsibility to ensure that individuals at risk for compulsive gambling have access to the resources they need to get help,” said Attorney General Platkin. “It is no coincidence that our announcement comes just a week ahead of one of the biggest days in sports wagering, serving as a reminder of how devastating a gambling addiction can be.

“This new initiative will allow the Division of Gaming Enforcement to work with the gaming industry to identify problematic patterns in player wagering behavior and intervene before they escalate.”

Player data is already captured by operators, but now that data will be used to uncover potential problem gambling patterns.

The DGE has set specific parameters on what activities operators should be looking for, including the following warning signs:

  • players whose gambling time increases from week to week,
  • bettors who repeatedly self-impose cool-off periods from gaming,
  • those who wager until they have less than one dollar in their accounts, and
  • players who regularly access the self-exclusion page on the operator’s website without ultimately executing an exclusion.

In addition to problematic play, platforms will also be monitoring for account activity that could be indicative of problem gambling, such as deposits for thousands of dollars being made in a short span of time, or a player making multiple requests in a 24-hour span to increase their limits on deposits or losses.

“We are using data to identify at-risk players, alert them to their suspected disordered gambling, and inform them about available responsible gambling features in online platforms and corrective actions they can take,” said DGE director David Rebuck. “This new approach will enable dedicated responsible gaming experts employed by the platforms and us to see the early warning signs and reach at-risk patrons before they find themselves in a financial catastrophe.”

Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ) executive director Felicia Grondin commented: “The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey is encouraged by the DGE’s efforts to identify online betting behavior in an effort to assist at risk gamblers. Given the increasing popularity of online gambling, initiatives such as this are more important than ever.

“This effort, in conjunction with our virtual and in-person problem gambling trainings for industry employees, makes for a more thorough approach to identify and assist those who may be suffering.”