New Jersey Requires Gambling Education on College Campuses
New Jersey will now require public colleges and universities to provide recurring gambling-education resources to students.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The state legislature passed a bipartisan measure that mandates public, community and four-year institutions invite representatives from the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ) at least once each semester and ensure students can access safer-gambling counseling, informational materials and self-help tools. The legislation – Assembly Bill 1715 and its companion, Senate Bill 3184 – won unanimous approval in both chambers, passing the Assembly 77-0 and the Senate 38-0.
The requirement follows enactment of New Jersey’s college gambling-awareness legislation, a bipartisan gambling-awareness law signed by Governor Phil Murphy that mandates recurring prevention outreach on public campuses. Lawmakers framed the measure as a response to rising gambling participation among young adults in a state with widespread legal sports betting and online casinos, emphasizing early education as a way to reduce long-term harm rather than expand enforcement.
The rules are aimed at reducing gambling harm among young adults at a time when New Jersey remains one of the country’s most active legal gambling markets. The CCGNJ operates the statewide 1-800-GAMBLER helpline and has long focused on prevention, outreach and treatment; campus visits under the new law are intended to bring that expertise directly to students.
Under the new statutory language, colleges must facilitate on-campus presentations and make safer-gambling materials and counseling options readily available through student services offices. The law does not require curriculum changes or academic credit, but it creates a formal, recurring presence for prevention specialists in student-facing settings.
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The measure attracted broad legislative backing as lawmakers cited mounting evidence that young adults are at elevated risk for problem gambling, particularly in jurisdictions with widespread sports betting and online casinos. Governor Murphy said the step reflects a proactive public-health approach: "By connecting campus communities with expert resources, we’re taking proactive steps to address gambling-related harm before it takes root", his office said in a statement accompanying the signing.
A CCGNJ spokesperson welcomed the law and described it as a chance to meet students where they are. "Bringing trained counselors and evidence-based resources to campus regularly will help identify students who need help and get them connected to services quickly", the spokesperson said. "This is about prevention and early intervention – not punishment."
University health officials also signaled support while noting implementation challenges. A university counseling director observed: "Colleges will need to integrate these sessions into a busy calendar of orientation programs and wellness initiatives. Done well, they can reduce stigma and increase treatment uptake; done poorly, they risk becoming checkbox exercises."
Not everyone was satisfied. Labor and health advocates for casino employees expressed disappointment that the bill did not address indoor smoking in casinos – a long-standing workplace-health concern for casino staffers. Advocates had pushed for simultaneous action on a smoking ban, but Governor Murphy declined to include such measures in the package, prompting renewed calls from union representatives and public-health campaigners.
The law also comes amid discussion in Trenton about restricting gambling advertising near college campuses – a complementary policy some lawmakers say would limit promotional exposure to younger adults. That proposal remains under study and could surface in upcoming legislative sessions.
Implementation will fall to individual institutions and the CCGNJ. Colleges will have one academic semester to schedule initial outreach following issuance of guidance from the Department of Higher Education and state regulators; details on reporting and compliance timelines are expected in guidance memos to be released in early 2026.
Practical Considerations for Campuses
For campus administrators, the new requirement means identifying points of contact in student affairs, coordinating scheduling and ensuring counseling centers are prepared to triage referrals. Student groups and health centers can leverage the visits to integrate screening tools, offer outreach during orientation weeks and set up confidential pathways to state-funded treatment and the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline.
As New Jersey positions itself as a mature gambling market, the law represents an attempt to pair consumer access with public-health safeguards. Its success will likely depend on the quality of campus programming, the resources allocated to counseling, and whether complementary policies – such as advertising restrictions or workplace protections for casino employees – move forward in the legislature.
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