NJ to study language in gambling ads as crackdown expands 2p305p

Rather than a blanket ban on all online gambling ads, which failed to gain traction earlier this year, lawmakers are pursuing a more nuanced, data-driven approach. This time, the focus is on whether the actual language of ads can shape gambling behavior, for better or worse.

The DGE’s study 6t5z4h

The cornerstone of the new legislation is a study to be conducted by the Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE). Over the course of 12 months, the DGE will look to analyze how the phrases, typography, placement, and repetition of language in gambling ads affect both problem gamblers and the general public.

The objective of this is to create a list of 3 to 10 approved responsible gambling phrases. These would then become mandatory components of all gambling ments in New Jersey.

Key questions the study will aim to address are:

• Do certain phrases encourage more responsible behavior?

• Does font size or bold formatting improve message retention?

• Can repetitive use of slogans dilute effectiveness?

• Are different messages more effective for vulnerable populations?

A ban on gambling ads near schools 6i3d5c

The bills also aim to ban gambling ads near schools, colleges, and any media that ‘predominantly targets’ those under the legal gambling age of 21. It’s a direct response to growing concern about underage exposure, particularly among college students.

Lawmakers are also taking cues from international markets. In the UK and Australia, similar steps have been taken to restrict how and where gambling companies can , often in response to the surge in youth exposure via digital platforms.

Industry spending on advertising 136b1z

In 2023 alone, gambling operators spent an estimated $1.8 billion on advertising. And they’re not spending it for nothing, with research consistently showing that advertising influences consumer behavior.

Critics have long called out misleading like ‘risk-free’ or ‘free bet’, especially when such offers involve hidden wagering requirements. Ohio and Massachusetts have already introduced strict rules about such language, and New Jersey may be next.

As the Responsible Gambling Council stated on the effectiveness of advertising in gambling;

Advertising works; that’s why operators spend millions on it. But with great power comes great responsibility.

A broader crackdown is in motion 1b1v5h

This bill also comes on the heels of another headline-making development in New Jersey: a proposed ban on sweepstakes casinos, currently moving through the legislature. 

That bill, also backed by Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese, aims to curb a form of unregulated gambling that’s grown rapidly across the U.S.

What happens next? k5o5d

If ed, the bills would give the DGE one year to complete the study and publish findings. These findings could reshape the future of gambling marketing, not just in New Jersey but nationwide, as regulators watch closely.