New Jersey Task Force Calls for Uniformity and Centralization

In its 2025 report, the New Jersey Governor’s Task Force on Responsible Gambling has outlined a set of policy recommendations aimed at bolstering public health and safety by standardizing, expanding, and better coordinating the state’s responsible gambling resources.

The report, released on April 21, evaluates the current state of responsible gambling infrastructure in New Jersey, including public education campaigns, treatment programs, regulatory frameworks, and funding mechanisms. The task force emphasizes two overarching goals for the coming year: improving access to support tools and enhancing existing programs through more uniform and better-funded efforts.

 

Standardization a Central Theme

At the core of the report’s recommendations is a call for uniformity across all forms of legal gambling in New Jersey. The task force points out discrepancies in how different sectors of the gambling industry — such as casinos, sports betting operators, and other licensees — are currently regulated. For example, while casinos and sports wagering operators must commission annual impact studies, other forms of gambling are not held to the same requirement. Inconsistencies also exist in “Know Your Customer” (KYC) protocols and minimum age requirements, prompting the task force to advocate for streamlined rules that would apply evenly across the entire industry.

“We’re seeing fragmented experiences depending on how and where a person chooses to gamble,” the report states. “Standardization is not just about regulation — it’s about making safer gambling easier to understand and more accessible for the public.”
Centralized Access and Universal Self-Exclusion To address what it calls “inconsistencies in user experience and tool accessibility,” the task force recommends consolidating all responsible gambling information into a single online hub. This resource would allow residents to find educational materials, self-exclusion tools, and support services in one place, regardless of the gambling platform.

Among the more ambitious proposals is the creation of a universal self-exclusion program. Currently, individuals must register separately to exclude themselves from different types of gambling. A unified system, the task force argues, would reduce barriers to self-help and enhance user protection. Additionally, the report calls for mandatory counseling sessions for those seeking to lift their self-exclusion status.

The task force also recommends the establishment of a new permanent state body called the Unified Responsible Gambling Evaluation Board, or URGE. According to the report, URGE would be responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of responsible gambling efforts, setting funding priorities, proposing regulatory reforms, and advising the state legislature on future policy developments.

This body would effectively institutionalize the work of the current task force and provide long-term governance of responsible gambling programs in New Jersey.
Funding and Legislative Action

To support these initiatives, the report urges an increase in both financial and educational resources. It recommends reallocating certain gambling-related revenues that currently go to the state’s General Fund and increasing fines on violations related to “amusement games.” These measures would help fund treatment programs and public awareness campaigns.

The report stops short of detailing exact budgetary figures but emphasizes that new resources should be directed, at least in part, by the task force or its successor entity.

 

Standardization is not just about regulation — it’s about making safer gambling easier to understand and more accessible for the public.

 

Next Steps

The report concludes with a direct appeal to Governor Phil Murphy and the New Jersey Legislature, urging them to adopt the full suite of recommendations. Implementation, it suggests, could lead to more equitable, effective, and accessible responsible gambling practices across the state.

Whether the proposals gain traction during the current legislative session remains to be seen. But with the gambling landscape in New Jersey continuing to evolve, the report frames these changes as both timely and necessary.