Listen to this articleAs sports betting and internet gaming continue growing rapidly in New Jersey and around the country, efforts to promote safe and responsible gambling and integrity are ratcheting up.
New Jersey was, of course, at the center of the landmark 2018 Supreme Court ruling that paved the way for legal sports betting nationwide and has been an industry leader since. The same happened for internet gaming, when it became the first state to launch in 2013.
In 2023, just under $12 billion was wagered on sports in the Garden State, generating $1.01 billion in revenue for the casinos, racetracks and their partners, a 31.9% increase over 2022. And those trends have continued at the start of 2024 with the NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl – and now through the NCAA basketball tournaments. Last year, internet gaming surged once again, bringing in $1.92 billion in revenue for the casinos and their partners, a 15.7% jump over 2022.
To mark March Madness as well as Problem Gambling Awareness Month, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin last month announced the launch of a nearly year-long public awareness campaign centered on preventing problem gambling and providing resources and support for responsible gaming. The campaign will continue through Super Bowl LIX in 2025 – with media placements strategically timed around major sporting events – featuring messaging about responsible gaming and resources to assist those in need.
“As we learn more and more about the effects of problem gambling, especially following the legalization of sports wagering, we have an obligation to provide resources and support to the public on responsible gaming,” said Platkin in a March 19 statement. “This work starts with ensuring awareness of the many tools available to assist individuals who struggle with gambling, including comprehensive prevention strategies and treatment and recovery services. Our campaign will highlight the responsible gaming measures put in place within our office and available through our partners and stakeholders to assist those in need of help.”
Platkin noted that legalization has moved gambling out of the shadows and for most people, does not create a health issue. “However, it is incumbent upon us to provide stronger solutions for those who do struggle with gambling, whether that means through comprehensive prevention and support strategies, such as our responsible gaming initiatives, or stronger treatment and recovery services for problem gamblers,” Platkin added.
“The Division of Gaming Enforcement enhanced and improved our responsible gaming resources in 2023 – and we are excited for the increased awareness that this initiative will bring to the public,” said Mary Jo Flaherty, interim director of the DGE, who succeeded recently retired, longtime DGE Director David Rebuck. “We are eager to share more information about how individuals can empower themselves with responsible gaming tools, whether that means becoming more self-aware of their behavior, taking more breaks from gaming – or deciding to stay away from a game for a longer period.”
Leading the effort
In late February, the Responsible Gambling Affiliate Association – an industry trade coalition that advocates for reasonable regulation, responsible advertising and consumer protection – announced the hiring of George Rover to serve as its first executive director and lead the organization, comprising six major players in the online gaming sector: Better Collective, Catena Media, FairPlay Sports Media, Gambling.com Group, Spotlight Sports Group and XLMedia PLC.
During his career, Rover held numerous senior positions with the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety and the DGE. At the latter, he oversaw the agency’s Service Industry Licensing, Casino Prosecutions, Internet Gaming and Technical Service Bureaus. Rover brings extensive experience to the role and boasts a DGE tenure that included the successful launch of internet gaming in New Jersey – while supervising some of the DGE’s most complex licensing and organized crime investigations and prosecutions.
Since retiring from government, Rover has worked closely with a number of the industry’s leading gaming companies to form the Sports Wagering Integrity Monitoring Association, a national nonprofit organization with the mission to detect and discourage fraud and other illegal activity related to sports betting.
In this new role, Rover is responsible for executing the RGAA’s long-term mission to safeguard responsible gambling marketing and advertising practices. The RGAA notes that his duties will be pivotal in shaping the future of responsible affiliate practices, advocating the needs and interests of the group’s members, promoting sensible regulation, fostering collaboration with industry stakeholders and advocating for the highest standards of integrity.
“In the spirit of collaboration – whether it be with state regulators, politicians, legislators or online gambling operators, I look forward to working with key stakeholders and will champion the critical role affiliate companies play in the regulated online gambling ecosystem,” Rover said in a February statement. “The formation of the RGAA will provide this essential segment of the industry with an important and constructive voice to promote responsible gaming, prioritizing the best interests of consumers through a unified set of high standards and guidelines to achieve long-term success.”
“We are thrilled to welcome George Rover to the RGAA family,” said Katie McCord, RGAA chair. “His unparalleled expertise, spanning decades in casino and sports betting law, will undoubtedly elevate our organization. George’s substantial contributions to the industry, including spearheading initiatives like SWIMA, showcase his commitment to integrity and innovation.”
‘A watershed moment’
NJBIZ recently caught up with Rover to discuss the new role, areas of focus, industry challenges and trends, and more. Rover ran through some of his career highlights and journey into this new role.
“We were leaders in that,” Rover told NJBIZ, highlighting that 2013 launch of internet gaming in New Jersey. “That just set the tone that the United States could do it and do it right. It launched very smoothly. There were no issues with geolocation or underage gaming really. I think it set the tone that internet-based gaming could safely and properly come to the United States. And I think that was a watershed moment in both igaming and sports betting online.”
Rover then expressed his admiration and respect for Rebuck, who he served under at the DGE. “David Rebuck really is a legend in the gaming industry,” said Rover. “One thing about David is he really empowered his staff. And we just had an amazing working experience – and everyone brought something to the table. David was that kind of leader that could make sure he marshaled all of the expertise and energy of his staff. I think that’s why DGE is recognized, I say, as the platinum standard. I can’t say enough about David. He deserves all of the accolades that are being thrown his way right now. And I think most people at DGE recognize that him moving on is a seismic change for DGE. And I’m sure DGE will continue to move forward in the best fashion. But losing him was definitely a watershed moment.”
Rover cited Rebuck’s efforts to promote responsible gaming here and nationwide. “And [he] has delivered that in addressing licensees in New Jersey,” said Rover. “He’s been demanding on them – to ensure that they continue to move forward in responsible gaming. In particular, saying that you must bring technology to bear – and licensees can’t be passive players in dealing with responsible gaming. They have to be proactive players – and technology must be used to further identify persons who could be vulnerable.”
The conversation shifted to Rover’s post-government career, which has focused on providing consulting services to the gaming industry through his strategic gaming advisory campaign, Princeton Global Strategies, which he is continuing to operate in addition to this new role with RGAA.
“I have a reputation as a former regulator – so dealing with regulators in all of the various states has been kind of second nature for me,” Rover explained. “And I have to say, almost all of the regulators in the U.S. have been very open and friendly with me. I think the other key component of that is being a former regulator – you understand what the perspective is. If you are representing an operator, you kind of know what is important to them. So, when you are negotiating with them or discussing a regulatory matter, you can connect with them and understand what their concerns are and, hopefully, help your client address that regulatory or licensing issue in a better way.”
Rover then spoke about the state of the legal sports betting industry since the 2018 Supreme Court ruling – and how to thread the needle of expanding the sector while heading off any potential challenges, problems, and issues. “I think it’s absolutely going in the right direction,” said Rover. “And I think, particularly, over the last couple of years there’s been a renewed focus on what they call making it a sustainable industry. And by that, what the industry means is – you always have to balance commercial interests with what else needs to be done to ensure that it’s sustainable. First and foremost, you have responsible gaming. The idea is we cannot – and operators and licensees don’t want to profit off of people that have a gaming problem. Because that is a bad thing for the industry.”
[O]perators and licensees don’t want to profit off of people that have a gaming problem. Because that is a bad thing for the industry.
– George Rover, Responsible Gambling Affiliate Association
He also noted efforts to promote diversity. “There’s always that push to make sure there’s diversity – whether it’s female or minorities, make sure they have great opportunities in the industry,” said Rover. “I think that sustainability message over the last two or three years has really been embraced by regulators and other key stakeholders in the space.”
Rover stressed that the focus now is on growing the industry – but in the right way. “It’s first and foremost in the industry’s mind and the regulator’s mind – and, obviously, legislator’s mind,” said Rover. “And I think another component of that is doing what we can with respect to the illegal offshore market. Because in dealing with the offshore market, it’s not just about the fact that people are gambling overseas without regulation – and, therefore, aren’t paying taxes. It’s also that those illegal offshore operators are not accountable for knowing customer requirements – meaning underage; knowing about responsible gaming; having responsible gaming tools on their platform; and dealing with AML issues, which is money laundering issues. The more people play on illegal sites, they are not getting the protections that relate directly to sustainability that come with playing on a legal, regulated site.”
The big picture
As for what he views as the industry’s main challenges and his areas of focus, Rover reiterated his points.
“I think responsible gaming and addressing the illegal offshore market – and then just ensuring that there’s general consumer protection standards in place regarding advertising and how you deliver content,” he explained. “They are the overriding goals of the industry as a whole – and, certainly, an important component of the RGAA.”
From there, Rover discussed the RGAA further and how he is approaching this new role. “It’s a brand-new organization. It was founded by five or six of the leading affiliate organizations or licensees in the world,” said Rover. “And, of course, they have significant commercial interests in the space. They have determined that the affiliates play an important role in the gaming ecosystem. And as a result, they needed an association to ensure that it could attract members and that the members would adhere to certain standards and conduct. But also, to make sure that they educate key stakeholders in what they do and how they do it. The goal is that the RGAA is recognized that if someone is a member of the RGAA – they are adhering to all of these important components on consumer protection, responsible gaming, and illegal offshore associations.”
Rover said that the industry stakeholders are on the same page on these issues – and being able to see the big picture. “I’ve been very impressed about the recognition that this is not about cutthroat commercial profit margins,” Rover explained. “I think there’s a clear recognition that the idea is to make this a long-term, sustainable industry that is looked at as an important component of the entertainment space.”
In the new role, Rover has been working with the RGAA board and other stakeholders to identify what they can accomplish in the short- and long-term as well as putting the game plan in motion. “Certainly, how are we going to expand the membership of the RGAA is one of the key first components, which is always important for any new organization. Because, obviously, the more members you have – you have more reach and more ability to affect that segment of your industry,” said Rover, adding that those previously mentioned areas of focus – illegal offshore markets, responsible gaming, content delivery, and more – are at the heart of their planning efforts.
“Make no mistake, the Association wants to make sure that it’s commonsense regulation – both within existing jurisdictions and new jurisdictions regarding affiliates. So they obviously want to make sure that key stakeholders, like legislators, are passing legislation that recognizes the importance of affiliates and treat them – from a licensing standpoint – in the appropriate way,” said Rover.
Make no mistake, the Association wants to make sure that it’s commonsense regulation – both within existing jurisdictions and new jurisdictions regarding affiliates.
– George Rover, Responsible Gambling Affiliate Association
The conversation closed with Rover stressing how important it is to be collaborative in the service of making the industry grow in a sustainable way – a responsibility he is ready to tackle in this new role. “What I was told by the folks when they decided on me was that they needed someone who understood the industry – but you need someone who is collaborative and collegial. Because if you can’t get along with the folks that you’re dealing with – whether it’s a regulator or legislators or other educators or other key stakeholders, you’re not going to accomplish anything,” Rover said.
“So, with that comes compromise,” he emphasized. “And there’s no question that working with other people and compromising and understanding their perspective, their goals, and, obviously, communicating our goals at the RGAA, including the commercial interests. Yea, we need to come to a compromise so we can effectively and hopefully seamlessly make these changes that benefit both sides.”
