When it comes to casino operations in the United States, operators must adhere to all regulations and rules set forth by the regulating body. In New Jersey, the Division of Gaming Enforcement is in charge of regulatory needs and will fine operators who do not live up to the standards set for the industry. This week, the DGE announced a round of regulatory fines for the online gambling industry in the state. DraftKings was on the list, fined $10,000 for self-exclusion failures.
The Violation
DraftKings must now pay $10,000 to the DGE for sending promotional material to eleven gamblers who were self-excluded from services. Operators are not supposed to send such material to individuals who have excluded from gaming. DraftKings offers both online casino and sports betting services in the state.
Last month, the company was fined in Indian for a similar violation. The company had to pay $3,000 for violating advertising regulations involving 15 players who had chosen to self-exclude from services. One month prior, the company was fined in New Jersey for marketing to self-excluded players as well as those who had chosen to list their online status as ‘cooled-off’.
So far in 2021, DraftKings has been fined three times for a similar offense. The company currently operates in eleven US states. In New Jersey, players can choose to self-exclude for one year up to a lifetime.
It seems the operator needs to reevaluate its marketing program and ensure that players who are self-excluded are not receiving promotional mailers. Such items can be a trigger for those who have chosen to take a break from online or retail gambling to start back up again, only adding to their addiction issue.
Additional Fines
DraftKings was not the only operator fined in New Jersey by the DGE. GAN is a supplier of online gambling products that offer services in the state. The company was fined $2,000 for allowing gamblers who were self-excluded to create an account and wager online. Some of the players were able to win over $20,000. GAN was ordered to remove the winnings.
The DGE also fined Scientific Games $500 for allowing a player to gamble that was not verified. Players are supposed to complete a verification process of their identity before they are allowed to place wagers. It is unclear as to if the player was underage or if they were self-excluded as well.
These fines are just a small example of how operators are held accountable by regulators based on regulation failings. In New Jersey, the DGE does not hold back with fines or other repercussions to ensure player safety and game integrity.
For most people, the idea of promotional gambling materials is not a big deal. However, a player might be excluded with one operator and then receive the materials by accident and triggered to join another site.
Players can also be self-excluded in New Jersey but travel to Pennsylvania to gamble via an operator they are not excluded with. Regulators want to ensure that there are no triggers provided to players who are self-excluded, so they require operators to avoid sending such materials to players on their lists.