Responsible gaming experts are lauding a new policy put in place by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) that requires operators of online casinos and sportsbooks to monitor for activities that are “early warning signs” of a gambling disorder.
The policy, a first in the nation, mirrors online gaming requirements in Europe. The DGE has set specific parameters on what patron 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;
- players who regularly access the self-exclusion page on the operator’s website without ultimately executing an exclusion;
- deposits for thousands of dollars being made in a short span of time; and,
- multiple requests in a 24-hour span to increase the 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.”
Under the new initiative, a gambler exhibiting warning signs will be approached using various circumstance-dependent interventions, including progressive responses if the indications of a potential gambling disorder keep recurring after attempts are made to assist and address the problem.
At level one, the patron will receive automated outreach regarding responsible gaming and associated resources. If the warning signals continue, the patron would be required to view a video tutorial explaining responsible gaming and available resources before being allowed to continue gambling. At the third level, the operator’s responsible gaming lead or team will directly contact and address the issue with the patron.
Problem gambling experts are lauding the New Jersey policy as a model for the industry. “The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ) is encouraged by the DGE’s efforts to identify online betting behavior in an effort to assist at-risk gamblers,” said CCGNJ Executive Director Felicia Grondin. “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.”
Keith Whyte, executive director for the National Council on Problem Gambling, said NJ’s new online policy will have an “immediate, direct impact,” according to PlayNJ.com. “(The policy is) going to help us finally collect and analyze the data that’s available and start to determine what are actually more predictive markers of harm.”
