Promises Made, Promises Broken: An overview of Gambling in New Jersey and recommendations for the future
Yixin Liu, Neha Mehta, Paul Siracusa, Annelisa Steeber, and Jared Sussman
New Jersey has benefited from being a frontrunner in many gambling sectors over the past half-century. From horseracing bets to Atlantic City casinos to the State Lottery, New Jersey has promised to support public programs without the need for taxpayer contributions. Overall, the gambling industry has provided substantial support to the State; however, this is only one version of the story. As competition from other states increased and gaming revenues dried up, the State has often been left without this revenue. While the choice to increase gambling always seemed necessary, especially when facing tight budgets, history shows that gambling may not be a reliable source of income for the State, there are many additional costs rarely considered, and the initial decision rarely takes into consideration all of the costs and benefits.