New Jersey lawmakers have advanced a legislative proposal designed to replace criminal penalties for underage gambling with structured civil fines.
Restructuring penalties and funding treatment programs
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11 to 0 on Thursday to move bill S597 forward, directing collected revenue toward compulsive gambling prevention, education, and treatment programs.
The unanimous committee vote moves the proposal further through the legislative process, though it has not yet become law. Introduced on January 13, S597 shifts the legal classification of underage gambling from a disorderly persons offense to a civil matter. Under the proposed structure, the civil penalty for a first violation is approximately $500, while a second violation carries a fine of $1,000 or less, and further violations carry a maximum penalty of $2,000.
These fines apply not only to individuals under the legal gambling age of 21 participating in casinos or simulcast locations, but also to adults who permit minors in their custody to gamble, as well as casino licensees and employees who permit underage access.
Revenue generated from the civil penalties will directly support compulsive gambling prevention, education, and treatment services, such as initiatives run by the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey. Primary sponsors James Beach and Vince Polistina are joined by co-sponsors Kristin Corrado, Shirley Turner, and John McKeon, securing strong bipartisan backing as the bill heads to the budget committee.
Sponsor perspective on youth exposure
Senator Vince Polistina emphasized that young people face unprecedented exposure to gambling through TV sports programming, advertising, and social media. While maintaining that underage gambling should be prohibited and casinos must adhere to the law, Polistina argued that labeling youth misconduct as criminal activity is an overly severe penalty. He noted that the legislation preserves financial accountability through escalating fines for repeat offenders while ensuring that collected funds directly aid addiction education and treatment.
The current measure mirrors similar legislation debated last year under bills S3972 and A5086, which received preliminary approval but were never enacted. Following its approval in the Judiciary Committee, S597 has been officially certified for a fiscal note by the Office of Legislative Services.
