Companies that promote, market or direct residents of New Jersey to illegal online gambling sites now have 150 days to stop such activity. The gambling regulators of New Jersey have set the time frame of 150 days for affiliates to avoid prosecution by ceasing the promotion of sites that are not legally operating within the state.

Just last week, David Rebuck, the Director of the New Jersey Gaming Enforcement, announced that prosecution will not take place against any company that promoted, marketed or directed customers of the state to the illegal gambling sites after November 2013, when legalized iGaming began in the state, if they stop the activity. Such amnesty also applies to those who helped with betting after the Unlawful Internet Gambling law was put in place in 2006.

Rebuck believes that the illegal gaming sites pose a threat to the regulated online gaming environment in the state. Rebuck commented that gaming companies that are licensed and provide online gambling within the state must go through an arduous process to offer the activity. The process includes an investigation into the history of the business as well as inspection of systems, financial stability, etc. The illegal sites do not have to go through this process.

Operators who are licensed also have to implement certain procedures to guard their offerings against fraud as well as money laundering and underage gambling. Consumer protection laws much be complied to payouts in a timely manner as well as testing the protocols for operation.

Unlicensed gaming sites are not subject to the requirements and thus they lack the integrity and public safety protections, according to Rebuck. Companies that are operating illegally will be at risk for prosecution and will not receive approval for legal online gambling within the state if they try to apply for licensing in the future.