New Jersey has introduced legally enforceable responsible-gambling requirements for online betting and casino operators, requiring them to identify potentially harmful player behavior and intervene when necessary. The measures make the state the first in the US to mandate data-driven standards of this kind, according to officials.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) announced the regulations on Tuesday, alongside the launch of free access to RecoverMe, a cognitive behavioral therapy app designed to help people manage gambling problems.
The new rules establish uniform criteria for identifying customers who may be experiencing gambling-related harm. Operators must review accounts that meet specified behavioral thresholds and provide assistance according to the assessed level of risk.
“We’re making the consumer safety net even stronger,” Davenport announced Tuesday in a news conference. “These regulations require that operators monitor their customers for specific criteria, indicating problematic gaming.”
The requirements apply to online gambling operators. Although companies already employed responsible-gambling personnel and followed similar industry practices, New Jersey officials said there had previously been no consistent, enforceable standard defining when operators had to investigate player behavior and implement staged interventions.
Governor Mikie Sherrill said the measures reflected the state’s efforts to strengthen protections for people using online gambling services. “We continue to work to make the online world safer and to focus on safeguards that protect people’s wellbeing and help connect those who are struggling with the support they need.”
Operators face mandatory reviews and phased interventions
Under the regulations, every operator must appoint a responsible-gambling lead to oversee compliance with the new requirements. Companies must also use mandatory player activity thresholds and behavioral triggers to identify customers whose gambling patterns warrant closer examination.
Meeting a threshold does not automatically classify someone as having a gambling problem. Instead, operators must conduct a due-diligence review of the customer’s activity and relevant behavioral indicators before deciding whether the person should be designated as at risk.
Jamie McKelvey, the DGE’s responsible-gambling coordinator, explained that the system is intended to prompt further assessment rather than make an automatic diagnosis. “The goal is to identify concerning behavior and assess the individual circumstances before determining what intervention, if any, is appropriate,” she said.
If the review identifies a customer as being at risk, the operator must add that person to its at-risk list and follow a three-phase intervention process. The stages are designed to provide information, encourage engagement with support services and respond to the assessed severity of the behavior.
“At the highest level, phase three, interventions require live communication between the responsible-gaming lead and the patron,” McKelvey said. “These communications are intended to ensure meaningful individualized communication with patrons exhibiting strong indicators of problematic play.”
Operators must close an account if, following this intervention, they determine that the customer remains at risk, McKelvey said. Davenport argued that mandatory standards were necessary as gambling opportunities have expanded across the state.
“Ads are everywhere. You can gamble anywhere,” the attorney general told reporters. “But when you wager in New Jersey, you should be protected by our strict gaming laws.”
The state also acknowledged recent reports alleging that some operators had used aggressive marketing or promotional tactics to target people showing signs of gambling disorders. Officials said the new rules were part of a broader effort to ensure that licensed businesses remain accountable as the industry changes.
New Jersey continues legal challenge against Kalshi
Alongside the responsible-gambling announcement, Davenport renewed the state’s opposition to prediction market platforms offering contracts linked to sporting events. New Jersey is asking the US Supreme Court to review a federal appeals court ruling that restricts states’ ability to regulate these products.
The dispute centres on whether sports event contracts offered by platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket fall under federal commodities law or can be regulated under state gambling legislation. The US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled in a 2-1 decision that the Commodity Exchange Act prevents states from regulating the relevant sports event contracts, placing them under the jurisdiction of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
New Jersey has argued that the ruling threatens the state’s authority over sports betting and could expose operators to potential violations of the federal Wire Act. The state also maintains that the decision conflicts with a ruling from the Ninth Circuit, which allowed Nevada to prohibit sports event contracts. That court questioned whether Congress intended the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 to displace existing state gambling regulations.
New Jersey filed its request for Supreme Court review last month. The state is supported by a coalition comprising 39 states and the District of Columbia, 146 tribal nations and tribal organizations, the NFL and industry organizations that have submitted briefs backing its position. “Our litigation is to ensure that only operators licensed by the state of New Jersey, and meeting our regulatory requirements offer sports wagering in our state,” Davenport said.
Mary Jo Flaherty, interim director of the DGE, expressed hope that the Supreme Court would agree to hear the case. Asked whether the DGE should take action against DraftKings and FanDuel for offering prediction markets, Flaherty said the two companies were not offering those products within New Jersey at that point.
Free RecoverMe access expands support for residents
The state also announced free access to RecoverMe for New Jersey residents and gambling customers seeking help with their behavior. The cognitive behavioral therapy app is being made available through an agreement with its operator.
RecoverMe uses validated assessment tools to help individuals evaluate their gambling habits. It also offers therapy sessions based on evidence-based methods and tracking features that allow users to monitor their activity. The app includes additional services tailored to New Jersey, providing access to emergency support for people experiencing a crisis.
Officials presented the initiative as a way to connect people with assistance alongside the new obligations placed on operators. Davenport said the state expected operators to comply with the new standards and emphasized that businesses operating in New Jersey remained subject to its laws. The state also said it would continue reviewing its regulatory framework as new technologies and industry practices emerge.