Majority of people in NJ favor limits on sports betting ads, poll finds

Posted by author March 7, 2025 Gambling

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The new poll was produced by Fairleigh Dickinson University
Ads have become seemingly ubiquitous since a 2018 landmark U.S Supreme Court decision struck down a near-nationwide ban on sports betting.

Does New Jersey need to limit the number of gambling ads residents are exposed to?

The answer, according to a majority of voters in the state interviewed in a recent poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University, is yes.

Ads have become seemingly ubiquitous since a 2018 landmark U.S Supreme Court decision struck down a near-nationwide ban on sports betting.

You might see a commercial for a Caesars sportsbook app during a New York Giants game, or an ad for FanDuel — the official sports betting partner for Major League Baseball — in the middle of a Yankees game.

“It’s way out of line,” New Jersey Assemblyman Ralph Caputo, who chairs the Assembly’s Tourism and Gaming Committee, said in a 2022 interview. “It’s completely insane. You can’t even turn a TV on without seeing an ad.”

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The new FDU poll, whose results were released Friday, found that 76% of New Jersey voters favor a limit on gambling ads. Majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independent voters all felt the same way.

Men and women, and Black, white and Hispanic voters all also agreed that there ought to be limits on gambling ads, as did voters in every age group — those under 30, those 31 to 44 years old, 45 to 64 and 65 and up.

“If either party is looking for a slam dunk issue in New Jersey, this is it,” said Dan Cassino, executive director of the FDU Poll. “Even the groups most likely to take part in gambling, like young men, seem to be fed up with all of the ads.”

Surge in gambling and sports betting addiction among young men

Since the 2018 U.S Supreme Court decision state residents have wagered nearly more than $58 billion in New Jersey sportsbooks, most of it bet online or via mobile apps.

Studies have shown that sports betting, now legal in 39 states, is particularly risky, leading to higher rates of debt, lower savings and even bankruptcies, the nonprofit news organization Stateline reported in December.

Experts warn that the convenience of online betting, combined with heavy advertising, has made gambling more addictive, particularly for young men.

A separate FDU poll from last September found that 10% of men ages 18 to 30 reported gambling problems, compared with 3% of the overall adult population

In a 2023 study, the Rutgers Center for Gambling Studies found the rate of high-risk problem gambling among the New Jersey population to be 6%, three times the national average.

Meanwhile, proposed legislation would decriminalize underage gambling in New Jersey and in its place institute civil penalties. Advocates of the bill say the fines would be used for prevention, treatment and education around problem gambling.

Narrow support for banning cell phones in classrooms

The same FDU poll also tested public opinion on banning cellphones in classrooms, and found that 49% felt favored it, with 45% opposed.

Citing mental health concerns among students and a need to eliminate distractions, Gov. Phil Murphy announced in his January State of the State address that he wants a statewide ban on cellphones in classrooms.

The poll relied on the responses of 1,476 New Jersey voters interviewed via phone between Feb. 23 and 28 this year. The margin of error was plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.

Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record.

Email: munozd@northjersey.com; Twitter:@danielmunoz100 and Facebook