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State of Play’s TL;DR
- New Jersey state Sen. John F. McKeon called for a public health approach to gambling addiction in an opinion essay published by nj.
- A 2023 Rutgers University study cited by McKeon found that 5.6% of New Jersey residents were considered high-risk problem gamblers.
- McKeon proposed bringing gambling businesses, regulators, technology companies, educators, and public health experts together to examine safeguards.
New Jersey state Sen. John F. McKeon is calling for the state to address gambling addiction through prevention, marketplace safeguards, and better access to treatment. In a Nov. 1 opinion essay published by nj, he argues that the issue belongs within public health, rather than solely with casinos and gambling regulators.
McKeon’s appeal follows nearly 50 years of New Jersey leadership in gambling, spanning Atlantic City casinos, online casinos, and sports betting.
Rutgers findings underpin the call for prevention
McKeon cites a 2023 Rutgers University study that placed New Jersey’s high-risk problem gambling rate at about three times the national average. Among high-risk problem gamblers surveyed, nearly 28% reported suicidal thoughts and 20% reported having attempted suicide.
He argues that gambling problems can involve debt, damaged relationships, lost jobs, and serious behavioral health challenges.
Prevention and education are the first part of his proposed approach. McKeon writes that the boundaries between gambling, gaming, and investing can feel increasingly blurred for young people.
“A bet is not an investment, and an investment should not be treated like a bet.”
McKeon seeks marketplace safeguards and treatment access
McKeon points to gambling’s availability on phones, often 24 hours a day, and says sports betting, online casinos, prediction markets, artificial intelligence, social media, and new payment technologies are making betting easier and faster.
McKeon calls for industry, regulators, technology companies, educators, and public health experts to examine those changes and the safeguards surrounding them.
“The goal is not to eliminate legitimate entertainment or economic activity. It is to make sure innovation does not move faster than responsibility.”
His third priority is access to care. McKeon wants New Jersey to assess its treatment capacity, identify gaps, and prepare its behavioral health system for future needs.
“No New Jersey resident or family in crisis should have to struggle to figure out where to turn or whether treatment is available.”
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Based on reporting by nj.
