New Jersey assembly bill A5447 has officially gained a second sponsor and a counterpart bill in the Senate. Two bills typically increase the chance of success by ensuring support in both chambers early on.
New Jersey Bills Would Ban Sweepstakes Gaming Altogether
Anti-sweepstakes casino bill A5447 was introduced by Democrat Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese, following his earlier attempt to legalize and regulate sweepstakes casinos.
The counterpart bill, S4282, was filed by Democrat Senator John Burzichelli, and it will begin its way through the several stages of Senate debate and amendment in parallel to A5447.
A5447 would ban sweepstakes gaming entirely. It also now has a co-sponsor, Democrat Assemblyman Sterley Stanley. Introduced on March 17th, the proposed legislation defines sweepstakes as:
“A promotional, advertising, or marketing event, contest, or game, whether played online or in-person, in which something of value, such as a prize or prize equivalent, is awarded, either directly or indirectly through means such as a dual-currency system of payment that allows a participant to exchange the currency for a prize or prize equivalent.”
A5447 Calls For Penalties Of Up To $250,000
The bill prohibits sweepstakes gaming, but it offers some exceptions, including when “there exists a method of entry to participate in the sweepstakes at no cost to the participant.”
Sweepstakes casino operators argue that players can in fact enter for free, either through coins won via bonuses, or via an alternative method of entry (AMOE), such as sending in a postcard for free coins.
This creates grey area that can actually benefit sweepstakes operators, but the wording of the bill can change in the future as it passes through the legislature so that loopholes don’t exist.
A5447 calls for penalties of up to $250,000 for every day that a prohibited service is offered, classing each 24-hour period as a separate offense. The responsibility of enforcement is handed to the state’s Division of Consumer Affairs and Division of Gaming Enforcement.