New Jersey Bill S597 Would Replace Criminal Charges for Underage Gambling with Tiered Civil Fines

New Jersey lawmakers are considering S597, a bipartisan bill that would replace criminal charges for underage gambling at licensed casinos with civil fines of up to $2,000. The measure, introduced by Sens. James Beach and Vincent Polistina, targets individuals under 21 who enter or gamble at casinos or simulcasting facilities. It also penalizes casino licensees, employees, and adults who knowingly permit such activity.

Under the proposal, fines start at $500 for a first offense, rise to $1,000 for a second, and reach $2,000 for a third or subsequent violation. All revenue would flow first to the state General Fund before appropriation to the Department of Human Services to fund compulsive gambling prevention, education, and treatment programs. Beach and Polistina’s bill retains the existing defense for employees who relied in good faith on written proof of age and reasonably believed the individual was at least 21.

A separate, non-binding resolution advanced the same week would ban gambling advertisements targeted at people showing signs of addiction. The restriction covers personalised marketing campaigns for VIPs that include athletes and other celebrities, as reported by Focus Gaming News.

Penalty Mechanics and Retained Defenses

The graduated fine structure shifts emphasis from criminal records to financial accountability, while the good faith defense provides a compliance safeguard for casino staff who properly check documentation. This framework directs collected penalties straight into treatment resources rather than general enforcement budgets. Yet questions remain about whether civil fines alone will deter violations as effectively as prior disorderly persons offenses, particularly among repeat offenders or those enabled by adults outside casino premises.

The Enforcement and Treatment Balance

The paired measures signal a regulatory tilt toward funding addiction services and curbing exploitative marketing over broad criminalization of underage access. Operators must still maintain rigorous age verification to invoke available defenses and avoid licensee penalties. How the legislature reconciles these civil tools with ongoing addiction concerns will shape compliance demands in the state’s gaming venues going forward.

Reporting: Focus Gaming News

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