A strong majority of New Jersey voters support limiting gambling advertisements, according to a Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) poll released on Friday. The findings come amid concerns over the rising prevalence of sports betting ads and their potential impact on gambling addiction.
The poll found that 76% of New Jersey voters favor restrictions on gambling ads, with bipartisan support across Democrats, Republicans, and independents. Support also spanned all demographic groups, including men, women, and voters of all ages and racial backgrounds.
“If either party is looking for a slam dunk issue in New Jersey, this is it,” said Dan Cassino, executive director of the FDU Poll. “Even the groups most likely to take part in gambling, like young men, seem to be fed up with all of the ads.”
Since the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down a near-nationwide ban on sports betting, sports gambling ads have become ubiquitous in sports broadcasts.
Viewers frequently see commercials for sportsbooks during games. New Jersey Assemblyman Ralph Caputo, who chairs the Assembly’s Tourism and Gaming Committee, previously criticized the saturation of such ads.
“It’s way out of line,” Caputo said in a 2022 interview. “It’s completely insane. You can’t even turn a TV on without seeing an ad.”
Experts warn that the combination of heavy advertising and easy access to online betting has increased gambling addiction, particularly among young men.
Since the Supreme Court ruling, New Jersey residents have wagered over $58 billion in sportsbooks, most of it through online or mobile platforms.
A September 2024 FDU poll found that 10% of men aged 18-30 reported gambling problems, compared to 3% of the overall adult population.
A separate 2023 Rutgers Center for Gambling Studies report found that 6% of New Jersey residents exhibit high-risk problem gambling—a rate three times the national average.
Meanwhile, proposed New Jersey legislation aims to decriminalize underage gambling, replacing criminal penalties with fines that would fund prevention, treatment, and education programs for problem gambling.
The same FDU poll also measured public opinion on banning cellphones in classrooms, an idea proposed by Gov. Phil Murphy in his January State of the State address.
The poll found 49% of voters support a classroom cellphone ban, while 45% oppose it. Murphy has cited student mental health concerns and classroom distractions as key reasons for the policy.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2025/03/12/97843-majority-of-new-jersey-voters-favor-limits-on-gambling-ads-according-to-new-poll
