New Jersey Assemblyman Changes Stance on Sweeps Casinos

It appears New Jersey Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese has had a change of heart regarding his stance on sweepstakes casinos. 

In January, he proposed legislation to make these online forms of gaming legal under New Jersey law.

Now, he’s introduced a new bill that appears to contradict that. 

This comes roughly a month after fellow Assemblyman Antony Verrelli introduced HB 5086 to relax underage gambling law in the Garden State. 

More on the Bill

The bill, AB 5447, has no co-sponsors or official text. 

There is a summary, though, which reads, “Prohibits sweepstakes model of wagering; establishes new penalties for unlawful gambling operations and practices; directs Division of Consumer Affairs and Division of Gaming Enforcement to enforce penalties.”

So, within the last two months, Calabrese has introduced legislation to make them legal and now wants to have them banned. 

Calabrese’s Previous Stance

While it’s not uncommon for bills to undergo changes during the process of getting them passed, this is seemingly a whole new bill. 

His previous bill, AB 5196, was much more thorough, including text related to protecting players under 21. 

“Under the bill, online sweepstakes casino operators that become licensed, partner with a casino licensee, and receive an internet gaming permit will be subject to the same legal requirements and standards of all other internet gaming operators.

“This includes the conduct of background checks for employees, the prohibition on accepting wagers from persons under the age of 21 and the required use of age verification tools, the payment of licensing and permitting fees, and the payment of taxes on all gross internet gaming revenues.”

It would’ve also allowed the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement to work with authorities to combat illegitimate sweepstakes casinos. 

Calabrese previously stated that sweepstakes casinos were in a “gray area” and that his first proposed legislation would “address the lack of oversight.” 

Now, we’ll wait to see what happens with this new bill that calls for an outright ban.