New Jersey Committee Approves AR 150 to Shield Vulnerable Gamblers from Targeted Personalized Advertising

New Jersey lawmakers are advancing measures to prevent targeted advertising from reaching vulnerable gamblers. The Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee approved AR 150 on September 14. The resolution seeks to stop operators from directing personalized promotions at at-risk consumers.

The move follows a backlash over the use of Bryce Harper‘s image in a personalized video sent to a FanDuel customer. Harper addressed the recipient by name, referred to his son, and expressed gratitude. The individual had lost $1.5 million on the platform prior to the video and was permitted to continue playing despite that spending level, according to reporting by GamblingNews. William Moen, chair of the committee and sponsor of AR 150, argued that the Harper case was illustrative of why further safeguards are needed. Moen explained that websites allowing personalized videos of celebrities congratulating gamblers create dangers and should not target vulnerable consumers. AR 150 aims to make such targeted advertising impossible, though it does not define criteria for establishing vulnerability.

Mandatory Education for Self-Excluded Gamblers

The committee also backed A5210, sponsored by Moen. This bill requires that individuals who have previously self-excluded complete mandatory gambling awareness training before they can be removed from exclusion lists and resume gambling. The Sports Betting Alliance opposed the measure, without providing further input. Both AR 150 and A5210 received unanimous support from the seven-member committee.

Reporting: GamblingNews

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