New Jersey Committee Unanimously Backs Resolution Against Targeted Gambling Ads to At-Risk Players

The New Jersey Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee unanimously approved a resolution urging sportsbooks and casino operators to stop targeting individuals who show signs of problem gambling or addiction with personalized advertising. Rep. William Moen sponsored Assembly Resolution 150, which passed by a 7-0 vote on Monday. The measure highlights obligations around responsible gaming and calls out predatory marketing that uses athletes or celebrities to reach vulnerable patrons.

Moen’s resolution directly addresses a July incident involving FanDuel and Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper. A 2024 Cameo video featured Harper addressing a former FanDuel VIP member and his son by name. Court records show the user bet more than $18.5 million and lost more than $1.5 million on the platform. Harper stated he did not know the clip would be deployed in FanDuel‘s VIP program to target someone with gambling struggles. While the resolution does not name Harper, it references FanDuel and “a professional baseball player.”

Resolution Details and Responsible Gaming Mandate

The approved text states that sportsbooks “have an obligation to ensure that responsible gaming practices are followed” and that “predatory marketing, including the use of professional athletes or celebrities,” targeting known gambling addicts “is antithetical to the goals of responsible gaming and such practices should cease immediately.” It urges all sports wagering licensees, casino licensees, operators, and affiliates to avoid personalized VIP marketing that deploys athletes or celebrities to induce continued play among at-risk patrons. The resolution also calls on Major League Baseball, the MLB Players Association, and other professional leagues to reject participation in such targeted programs directed at vulnerable individuals.

Federal Letters and New Jersey’s Regulatory Pattern

Assembly Resolution 150 references an Aug. 10 letter from Congress to Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association inquiring about rules on player-sportsbook partnerships tied to VIP programs. MLBPA General Counsel Jeffrey Perconte replied on Aug. 24 that the union would support collective bargaining restrictions banning players from personalized marketing connected to VIP or tier programs. A Sept. 3 follow-up letter from Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), and Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC) told FanDuel the company appeared to be “promoting addiction” and had failed to detail steps to monitor VIP activities or planned changes.

New Jersey, the oldest regulated online gambling market in the U.S., has pursued multiple safeguards in recent years. These include Sen. Andrew Zwicker‘s Senate Bill 3401 to limit push notifications and text messages to non-open apps, plus Division of Gaming Enforcement proposals for at-risk player definitions, responsible gaming leads, and tracking of triggers such as deposit changes or multiple cool-off requests. As reported by SBC Americas, the current resolution fits this pattern of tightening marketing rules after specific incidents.

What the Record Leaves Open

The resolution advances without binding effect and leaves open exactly how operators must identify “signs of problem gambling” before personalized outreach occurs. Enforcement mechanisms against offshore or non-compliant licensees remain unaddressed in the text.

Reporting: SBC Americas

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