New Jersey regulators fined Caesars Sportsbook $251,250 and ordered it to give up another $45,465.38, bringing the total penalty to $296,715.38. ReadWrite reported that the action became final on Aug. 5, after Caesars agreed to the civil fine and would have to pay the full amount once it received an invoice from the Division of Gaming Enforcement.
The enforcement order tied the case to failures in responsible-gaming messaging and self-exclusion policies. But the document did not say what Caesars did, identify affected customers or individual transactions, or give a timeline for when the conduct happened.
New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement says responsible gaming consists of policies and practices meant to promote safe and enjoyable gambling while reducing the risk of harm, and it says it works with licensed casinos and online gambling operators to protect players. Its self-exclusion program offers one-year, five-year and lifetime terms, and the hotline is 1-833-788-4DGE. As covered earlier this month, New Jersey’s self-exclusion rules were already in the spotlight after an appeals court said a lifetime exclusion could not be undone.
Gaming America reported that the nearly $300,000 total may be the largest penalty ever issued to an online gambling operator in New Jersey, although the Division of Gaming Enforcement did not confirm that. The outlet also said most other reported NJDGE fines have been in the five figures or very low six figures.
That makes Caesars’s case stand out even in a state that has levied other compliance penalties. Gaming America said New Jersey fined several sportsbooks a combined $40,000 in 2024 over prohibited markets, while DraftKings received a $100,000 fine for inaccurate handle and revenue reporting and Super Group was hit with a $112,188 penalty after self-excluded players were allowed to gamble.
The broader backdrop is a market in which online gambling is popular because of convenience, speed of play and the ability to play from home, according to Rutgers’ Internet Gaming in New Jersey report. That report also says players must be at least 21 and physically located in New Jersey while gambling online.
