High School Pupils in New Jersey May Learn About Potential Hazards Associated with Gambling
In the state of New Jersey, a proposed legislation known as Senate Bill 3666 is making waves. This bill, if passed, would require public high school students to learn about the risks associated with gambling. The odds continue to lengthen that 2025 will be the year of passage for the bill.
The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey and the Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) are among the bill's supporters. In February, Senate Bill 3666 passed the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism, & Historic Preservation Committee with a unanimous vote.
The education system in Virginia already provides high school teachers with instruction on warning students about recognizing the symptoms of problem gambling and preventing gambling among youth. The Virginia Board of Education has developed guidelines for such instruction.
New Jersey lawmakers have been trying for several years to pass legislation to include education on gambling in high school curricula. The state's concern for students' wellbeing has been a key factor in this pursuit. Lawmakers like Assemblywoman Linda S. Carter have expressed concerns that advertisements and partnerships between sportsbooks and schools could harm students by encouraging gambling behavior.
The legislative process has been complex, with the recent bill (A4113/S2155) banning sportsbook partnerships at public colleges taking over a year to pass. The legislation allows partnerships "established for academic purposes or providing experiential learning," but prohibits marketing-related partnerships.
The growing awareness of gambling-related harms, such as problem gambling rates and the risks of practices like micro-betting, has intensified the debate about how to regulate gambling education responsibly.
If enacted, gambling courses would become part of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education. The curriculum would educate teenagers about the risks associated with gambling, ensuring they grow up with the knowledge they need to make responsible choices.
The tutorial in Virginia teaches kids about the odds being stacked against gamblers and that gambling should always be considered a cost-expenditure form of entertainment and not a money-making endeavor.
New Jersey, the second-richest commercial gaming state in the United States, trails only Nevada. Atlantic City's casinos are committed to promoting responsible gaming. Last year, the state recorded a record loss of $6.3 billion in gambling revenue.
Despite the challenges, efforts to limit gambling promotion in educational environments reflect lawmakers’ cautious stance and ongoing difficulty in crafting effective policies that both educate and protect youth from gambling harms.
[1] New Jersey Lawmakers Struggle to Pass Gambling Education Legislation in High Schools [2] New Jersey Bill Aims to Educate High School Students on Gambling Risks [3] Rising Problem Gambling Rates Intensify Debate About Regulating Gambling Education [4] New Jersey Bill Banning Sportsbook Partnerships with Public Colleges Heads to Governor's Desk [5] New Jersey Law Bans Sportsbook Partnerships with Public Colleges
[6] Advocates Push for Responsible Gaming Education in New Jersey High Schools
[7] The Education-and-Self-development Agenda Encompasses Gambling Ed in New Jersey
[8] Senate Bill 3666: A Proposed Curriculum on Problem Gambling and IGaming in New Jersey High Schools
[9] General-News: New Jersey's Gambling Education Bill Clears Senate Committee
[10] Politics and Education Collide in New Jersey: An Examination of the Teens, Underage Gambling, and Gambling Ed Debate
[11] Virginia Paves the Way for Gambling Education in High Schools, Leaves New Jersey in Pursuit
[12] Learning About Gambling: Exploring the Proposed Curriculum and Its Implications for Atlantic City Youth
[13] Critics Question the Ethics of Sports Betting Advertisements and School Partnerships in New Jersey
[14] The Faltering Economy of Atlantic City Casinos Sees Renewed Hope in Responsible Gambling Legislation
[15] The Evolution of Gambling Education Legislation: A Comparative Analysis of New Jersey and Virginia
