New Jersey lawmakers are weighing to make underage gambling no longer a crime, making it subject to a fine instead. The move, which would change the law to make gambling by people under the age of 21 no longer punishable under criminal law, also seeks to impose fines on anyone helping an underage person gamble in the state.
Under the proposed bill, the penalties for underage gambling would change from that of a disorderly persons offense to a civil offense. Fines would be $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second offense, and $2,000 for any subsequent offenses, reports the Associated Press. That money would be used for prevention, education, and treatment programs for compulsive gambling.
“The concern I had initially was about reducing the severity of the punishment,” said Assemblyman Don Guardian, a Republican former mayor of Atlantic City, as per the AP report. “But the fact that all the money will go to problem gambling treatment programs changed my mind.”
The bill was approved by an Assembly committee and now goes to the full Assembly for a vote. It must pass both houses of the Legislature before going to the desk of Phil Murphy, the state’s Democratic governor.
The proposal comes as a growing number of young people are becoming involved in gambling, especially in light of the sports betting expansion countrywide. The new bill seeks to help fund programs for compulsive gambling, such as those provided by the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey.
While the council said it conditionally supports the bill, it has also shared concerns about it. Luis Del Orbe, the council’s acting executive director, said he is glad it will provide funding for gambling treatment and education programs. But he said fines alone are not enough without mandating education about problem gambling, asking that such a requirement be added to the bill.
“When a young person is ‘fined,’ who actually pays the fine?” he asked. In a statement submitted to the Assembly panel, the council also noted that “more and more of New Jersey citizens need help” due to the ongoing expansion of gambling opportunities, anticipating that the demand “will only continue to grow.”
“There is an urgent need for expanded education and awareness about the harms that can come of gambling, particularly with respect to youth,” the council warned.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2024/12/17/88871-new-jersey-lawmakers-considering-change-to-make-underage-gambling-no-longer-a-crime