A new study, indicating how the blossoming iGaming industry is affecting the people of the US, will begin on Jan 2015 at the bequest of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
The Center for Gambling Studies in Rutgers, New Jersey, has been given the opportunity to manage the first research study of Internet gambling in the United States, since new legislation was introduced in Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey.
The responsibility comes with a $1.2m research purse and follows a mandate from the New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to poke a few noses into the impact that Internet gambling has inside his state lines – in particular problematic gambling problems.
“New Jersey is one of only three states where Internet gambling is legal,” said Lia Nower, professor and director of the center who also serves as the principal investigator on the grant. “But iGaming is a new frontier and no one knows quite what to expect. It’s a real testament to the governor and the division that they’re taking such a responsible approach to evaluating potential negative impacts, and we are really honored to be a part of it.”
The study will begin in Jan 2015, with a statewide study of a sample of New Jersey residents. 1,500 residents will be interviewed via mobile phone or land-line and a further 2,000 residents will be interview online. 18-months on, and a follow up set of questions will be asked to help the unit monitor the impact that Internet gambling is having on the Garden State.
”Since the inception of Internet gaming, the Division of Gaming Enforcement has been committed to maintaining the highest level of responsible gaming standards and information from a study such as this will only help in that regard,” said David Rebuck, director of the Division of Gaming Enforcement.
The research team will also be responsible for keeping the governor abreast of the situation with four yearly reports, based on the statistical analysis of betting behavior.
Someone Keep an Eye on the Kids
One man who will be keeping a keen eye on the study will be the Las Vegas Sands owner, Sheldon Adelson. The Octogenarian, is the founder of the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling (CSIG) and has pledged millions into the fight against a form of gambling he once referred to as a “cancer.”
Adelson and his team at the CSIG believe that Internet gambling opens the doorway for children and under age youngsters, to become gambling addicts due to the ease of access. So far, there have been zero reports of such a thing happening in any of the three states that currently allow online gambling.
Since the market opened, back on 26 Nov 2013, New Jersey has earned $102,286 in revenue, with 15% going into the tax coffers of the government and 2.5% to the Casino Reinvestment and Development Authority (CRDA).
The Centre for Gambling Studies was established in 2007 and it’s the only gambling research unit of its kind in the country.
