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Former Top New Jersey Regulator David Rebuck Calls For Tighter Gaming Regulations

David Rebuck, the former director of the NJDGE, released an essay calling for an increase in gambling regulations to protect young people.

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J.R. Duren Avatar
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David Rebuck, the former director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, recently released an essay calling for a significant increase in gambling regulations that protect young people.

Key takeaways

  • Rebuck, who retired on March 1, released an essay calling for stricter rules for NJ gamblers, according to a report by the Associated Press.
  • The rules are meant to protect younger people from gambling addictions.
  • Rebuck called for a prohibition on games resembling slot machines and casino games.

Rebuck wants to raise minimum age for all forms of gambling in NJ

Chief among the new regulations Rebuck called for was the enforcement of a minimum age for gambling: 21 years old.

Because there is no national minimum age for gambling, states have varying age minimums depending on the type of gambling offered within their borders. For example, Pennsylvania requires anyone whoe plays a Pennsylvania online casino to be at least 21 years old.

However, that minimum goes down to 18 years old for daily fantasy sports contests (provided the contest is offered outside a non-tribal casino) and 18 years old for the lottery.

The minimum age for all forms of gaming would be 21 if Rebuck’s recommendations were implemented nationally.

Young people face higher risks for problem gaming

Multiple studies have shown that people under 18 are at a much higher risk of developing problem gambling habits. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) noted that problem gambling affects people younger than 18 at four to eight times the rate of adults.

Additionally, simply watching poker games or sports betting can contribute to children developing gaming addictions later in life.

“Research shows that children introduced to ‘harmless betting’ by age 12 are four times more likely to engage in problem gambling later,” the MDPH said in an AP News article. “A teen’s brain, with an underdeveloped logic center, isn’t wired yet to weigh risk and make healthy choices.

So that ‘win’ on an online game today can lead to the negative side effects of real-life gambling tomorrow.”

How to spot problem gambling in children and youth

Because children and teenagers are susceptible, it’s important to see the warning signs. The MDPH provides several signs that someone under 18 may have a gambling problem:

  • A noticeable decline in school grades, attendance, and interest
  • Emergence of signs of depression and/or anxiety
  • New interest in competing and winning
  • Missing money from household cash
  • Your child keeps stashes of money

If you believe your child may be developing problem gambling habits, you can reach out to the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER or through its website, Ncpgambling.org.

J.R. Duren Avatar
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J.R. Duren has covered the gambling beats for more than a dozen states for Catena Media since 2015. His past reporting experience includes two years at the Villages Daily Sun, and he is a first-place winner at the Florida Press Club Excellence in Journalism Contest.

View all posts by J.R. Duren

J.R. Duren has covered the gambling beats for more than a dozen states for Catena Media since 2015. His past reporting experience includes two years at the Villages Daily Sun, and he is a first-place winner at the Florida Press Club Excellence in Journalism Contest.

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