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Can I offer contests that involve a single game or event in New Jersey? What are the requirements?
Based on the documents provided, it is legal to offer contests that involve a single game or event in New Jersey as long as they meet certain requirements.
Requirements for Contests of Skill in New Jersey
According to NJST 5:19-1, a contest of skill in which a participant pays an entry fee for the opportunity to win a monetary prize or something else of value shall not be considered a game of chance, shall not constitute unlawful gambling under the laws of this State, and shall not subject the participant or the sponsor of the contest of skill, or any officer, employee, or agent of the sponsor, to any civil or criminal liability under the laws of this State that prohibit gambling. However, the contest must meet the following criteria:
- The winner or winners are selected solely on the quality of an entry in the contest as determined by a panel of judges using uniform criteria to assess the quality of entries.
- The contest of skill does not include any contest, game, pool, gaming scheme or gaming device in which the outcome depends in a material degree upon an element of chance.
- The contest of skill does not include any casino game, any sports wager or sports wagering scheme, or any Internet gaming of any kind.
Special Event Tournament
A casino licensee may conduct a special event tournament for any game approved by the Division pursuant to N.J.S.A. 5:12-5. However, no special event tournament shall be conducted unless the casino licensee files internal controls describing each specific special event tournament or tournaments. Such internal controls shall provide for notice to the public that the tournament is a special private event and not available to the gaming public. A special event tournament may be requested by a patron or patrons. The casino licensee shall document the request including the name or names of the patron(s) requesting the special event tournament, the date of the tournament, the duration of the tournament, including the starting and ending times, and the location of the tournament. A written notice shall be provided to the Division at the Division’s Regulatory Enforcement Bureau office in the establishment within 24 hours of the commencement of the special event tournament, which notice shall include the information required by N.J.A.C. 13:69F-8.6(b). A casino licensee may impose a fee for special event tournaments requested pursuant to (c) above. Any such fee shall be included in gross revenue. [2.1]
Fantasy Sports
Fantasy sports are contests in which the relative skill of the participants predominates to a degree that chance plays no material role in determining the outcome of the activities. Fantasy sports activities conducted in accordance with the provisions of P.L.2017, c.231 (C.5:20-1 et seq.) by an operator holding a permit to do so do not constitute an authorized game or authorized gambling game as defined in section 5 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C.5:12-5); a contest of chance as defined in N.J.S.2C:37-1; gambling as defined in N.J.S.2C:37-1; a gambling transaction pursuant to N.J.S.2A:40-1; or lottery as defined in N.J.S.2C:37-1. [3.1]
Conclusion
Based on the above requirements, it is legal to offer contests that involve a single game or event in New Jersey as long as they meet the criteria outlined in NJST 5:19-1. Additionally, a casino licensee may conduct a special event tournament for any game approved by the Division pursuant to N.J.S.A. 5:12-5, and fantasy sports activities conducted in accordance with the provisions of P.L.2017, c.231 (C.5:20-1 et seq.) do not constitute gambling.
Source(s):
Jurisdiction
New Jersey