New Jersey’s continuing preparations leading up to the launching of Internet gambling now involves an extension of its self-exclusion list to now include online gambling players.
The move was made with a little over two weeks left before the state officially opens Internet gambling within its borders and is largely seen as a way for gamblers to check themselves in the event that they’ve become a little too addicted with the action from online gambling.
The state already has a self-exclusion provision for all 12 of its Atlantic City casinos, which gamblers can use by placing their names on a list, essentially banning themselves from entering the AC’s casino joints. New Jersey, like many other states, allows people who feel they have a gambling problem to place their names on a list of those who are not allowed to enter any of Atlantic City’s 12 casinos.
And with online gambling’s launch on the horizon, the state’s Gaming Enforcement Division is automatically extending the list to cover online gambling, too.
David Rebuck, the gaming enforcement division’s director, said that the move to expand the self-inclusion program was done to promote responsible gaming on online players.
“Expanding the division’s self-exclusion program to include Internet gaming and making the application process available to the public prior to Internet gaming’s go-live date of November 26, 2013, represents a commitment I made following the signing of the Internet gaming bill,” Rebuck said, as quoted by The Associated Press.
“The division is committed to promoting responsible gaming not only in Atlantic City’s casinos, but also on the Internet.”
Players who believe that they need to get a self-imposed break from gambling will have the option of banning themselves for a year or five years. A ban on playing in casinos will mean that players aren’t even allowed to enter the establishments and a ban on online gambling likely means that their accounts would be frozen for that period of time.
Whereas a self-imposed ban on online gambling can be done over the Internet, the state is also making available numerous offices where people can sign up in person to have themselves banned from casinos, including the division’s offices in Atlantic City or Trenton, and the offices of the New Jersey Racing Commission in Trenton, East Rutherford, Oceanport and Freehold.
