Vol. 2, No.7, July 2005
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Underage Gambling: Zero Tolerance
The record shows that Atlantic City casinos have done an outstanding job of enforcing the age restriction on gambling
The casino industry is one of the most highly regulated private sector businesses in New Jersey. From the licensing procedures for employees to guidelines on the size and configuration of the casino itself and hours of operation, the state is involved in nearly every aspect of the industry's daily operations.
The industry is, without question, unique in this state. It was authorized by an amendment to the state Constitution, it is confined by the Constitution to one community, and the tax revenue it generates for the state is dedicated—again, by the Constitution—to a specific purpose.
The rules and regulations under which the industry operates were laid out in the initial legislation approved in 1976 and updated over the years as conditions changed and the industry underwent spectacular growth and expansion.
The system has worked extremely well, as evidenced by the absence of any hint of scandal or misconduct by the industry in its quarter-century of existence.
And, while much of this can be attributed to the state's regulatory structure, a good deal of credit must go to the industry as well. The vigilance and diligence demonstrated by the industry in its self-policing is a major reason for the enviable record it has compiled.
To illustrate the point, consider one element of the industry's myriad responsibilities—enforcement of the laws against gambling by underage persons.
Nearly 36 million people per year visit Atlantic City, many of them, obviously, to enjoy the casino gaming experience. To give a better idea of just how great an influx of visitors this represents, the total number is the equivalent of the combined populations of the Rocky Mountain states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming, and the six New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
In fact, a state report showed that Atlantic City had become the fourth-greatest tourist destination in the entire nation. It is inevitable, then, that there will be those who will attempt to enter a casino even though they are barred because they are less than 21 years of age.
They use false identification documents or take advantage of oft-crowded conditions on the casino floor to escape detection by security personnel. Others, quite simply, appear to be older than they are.
Regardless of the situation, the law is being broken by these people, and it is the responsibility of the casino to put a stop to it.
How successful have we been? Last year, fewer than 400 persons were found gambling despite being less than the legal age. That's fewer than 400 out of the millions who moved through the casinos last year—a testament to the seriousness with which our industry views the problem as well as the diligence in applying the rules.
It should be noted that a recent change in the law increased the penalty for those found guilty of underage gambling, imposing a fine of between $500 and $1,000 as well as a six-month suspension of the offender's driver's license. If the person is under 17 and not yet licensed, the issuance of a license will be postponed for six months. In addition, a parent or anyone who has custody of a minor and permits the minor to gamble will be charged with a disorderly persons offense.
While it may seem to a teenager that sneaking into a casino using false identification is a harmless prank or a youthful lark, our industry does not view it in such a cavalier fashion. The legislative action in upgrading the penalties considerably is a clear sign that the state views the problem as seriously as the industry.
The entire issue of underage gambling is but one area of industry responsibility in enforcing the law, rules and regulations which govern our operations, and it is not being immodest to say that we have done an outstanding job in meeting that responsibility.
A zero-tolerance policy is a wholly accurate characterization of our approach to underage gambling and it will continue to be so.
In a recent interview, a former member of the Casino Control Commission described New Jersey's casino regulation laws as setting the "gold standard" for other states who are considering the legalization of some form of gaming.
It must always be kept in mind that it is our 47,000 dedicated, hard-working casino employees who assure that standard is met each and every day.
