New Jersey Senate Bill 597 Proposes Civil Fines of $500 to $2,000 to Replace Criminal Penalties for Underage Gambling

New Jersey lawmakers have introduced Senate Bill 597 to amend the Casino Control Act by replacing criminal charges for underage gambling with a tiered system of civil fines. The bipartisan legislation maintains the state’s legal gambling age at 21 while shifting enforcement away from disorderly persons offenses at licensed casinos and simulcasting facilities.

The proposal sets civil penalties at $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a second violation, and $2,000 for a third or subsequent violation. It applies both to individuals under 21 who enter or gamble at these venues and to those who enable such activity.

Accountability Measures for Licensees, Employees, and Responsible Adults

Sens. James Beach, D-Camden, and Vincent Polistina, R-Atlantic, are the lead sponsors. The bill extends civil liability to casino licensees and employees who knowingly allow underage individuals to remain in or gamble at restricted facilities. Adults who knowingly permit a minor under their care, custody, or control to gamble would face the same civil penalty structure.

An existing good-faith defense remains available for casino employees who rely on a written representation of age and reasonably believe the person is at least 21 based on appearance and documentation. All revenue from the fines would flow into the state General Fund before appropriation to the Department of Human Services to support compulsive gambling prevention, education, and treatment programs.

Return of 2024 Legislation for Current Session

Beach and Polistina first advanced a substantially similar proposal as Senate Bill 3972, introduced in December 2024. That measure failed to become law before the end of the legislative session. The current bill adds Sens. Kristin Corrado, Shirley Turner, and John McKeon as co-sponsors and has been pre-filed for the 2026-27 session. It must still advance through the full legislative process before reaching the governor.

As reported by GamblingNews, the primary impact would fall on Atlantic City as the center of New Jersey’s licensed casino industry. The legislation does not legalize gambling for anyone under 21. Whether the civil framework will prove more effective at deterrence than the prior criminal approach remains an open operational question for licensees and regulators alike.

Reporting: GamblingNews

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