New Jersey Bill Would Replace Criminal Penalties for Underage Gambling With Civil Fines

New Jersey lawmakers are considering a change in how the state handles underage gambling: S597 would replace a disorderly persons offense with civil fines that increase for repeat violations. The measure has advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee with bipartisan support, but it hasn’t become law.

The proposed maximums are $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second and $2,000 for a third. Proceeds would fund compulsive-gambling prevention, education and treatment. The practical shift is in the type of penalty and where the money goes; the bill still assigns consequences to the people and businesses it identifies.

The bill reaches beyond the person placing a wager

S597 covers anyone under 21 who gambles at a casino or simulcasting facility. It also applies to adults who allow someone in their legal care or custody to gamble, along with casino licensees and employees who permit underage gambling at those venues.

For casino operators, that means the proposal retains a direct consequence when a licensee or employee allows a person under 21 to gamble. The reporting on the bill doesn’t describe changes to age checks or other operating requirements; its stated change is the move from criminal penalties to civil fines.

That distinction makes S597 a change in enforcement model, not an end to accountability. The covered conduct would still carry penalties, with higher maximum fines for subsequent offenses.

Supporters connect penalties to prevention

Sen. Vince Polistina, a Republican from Atlantic County and a bill sponsor, has said casinos must follow the law, while arguing that a criminal offense is too severe for a young person who makes a mistake. He has also pointed to young people’s exposure to gambling through sports broadcasts, advertising and social media.

Democratic sponsor Sen. James Beach has focused on the risk of gambling problems among young people and the potential consequences of a criminal record. He has argued for emphasizing behavioral change and prevention.

Together, the sponsors’ arguments frame the proposal as a way to retain consequences while directing collected fines toward prevention, education and treatment. The Press of Atlantic City reported that those funds could support programs such as those offered by the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey. Available reporting doesn’t specify how the money would be allocated or how program results would be measured.

Age related enforcement has taken different forms elsewhere. Ontario’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission fined Betty Gaming over underage-gambling issues. That case is separate from S597, but it illustrates the operator enforcement dimension of age compliance.

New Jersey has also taken separate action against licensed operators on responsible-gambling requirements. The state’s fine against Caesars Sportsbook is distinct from this bill and doesn’t establish the penalties S597 would impose.

Committee passage leaves a long path ahead

After clearing the Senate Judiciary Committee, S597 is headed to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. Committee approval is an early step, and the measure still needs to advance through the legislative process.

A similar measure received preliminary approval the previous year but wasn’t enacted. According to reporting by the Press of Atlantic City and PlayUSA, S597 must clear the relevant committees in both chambers, pass the full Senate and Assembly, and then go to the governor for action.

Until those steps are complete, New Jersey’s current criminal-penalty framework remains in effect. The next test for S597 is whether lawmakers will carry its proposed shift from criminal charges to escalating fines through the full legislative process.

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