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S 4668

Relates to service retirement benefits for certain members of the New York city employees' retirement system

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Robert Jackson and 1 co-sponsor

NJ permits licensed lottery couriers to fulfill electronic orders for instant tickets and creates a self-exclusion program with funds for compulsive gambling treatment.

REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
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Bill Summary · S 4668

Summary — S.4668 (New Jersey)

Status: Reported and committed to Finance (as of Nov 13, 2025)
Introduced: June 23, 2025
Primary sponsor: Sen. Robert Jackson (cosponsors: Jessica Scarcella‑Spanton, Joseph A. Lagana)
Companion/related: A6081, A5561; prior-session S6371, S5492

Purpose

Authorize licensed lottery courier services to receive and fulfill electronic orders for instant (scratch) lottery tickets and establish a State Lottery self‑exclusion program for problem gamblers. The bill also sets operational, consumer‑protection, and enforcement requirements for courier services and directs how forfeited winnings and penalties are to be used.

Key provisions

  • Authorization for courier sale/delivery of instant tickets

    • Registered courier services may receive and fulfill electronic orders for instant lottery game tickets within New Jersey.
    • "Instant lottery game ticket" is defined as a physical ticket where play symbols are revealed by removing a latex/protective coating.
    • Division of State Lottery must adopt implementing rules immediately (effective up to 365 days) and then follow standard Administrative Procedure Act timelines to finalize rules.

  • Courier registration, duties and limits

    • Courier services must register with the State Lottery Commission; registration includes background checks and vetting of owners, operators, key personnel, and couriers.
    • Required consumer safeguards on courier websites: fraud warnings, casino‑equivalent gambling addiction warning, and information on help resources.
    • Couriers must verify customer age and in‑State location, safeguard personal/credit information, and are permitted to redeem tickets on behalf of customers in a secure, transparent manner.
    • Couriers may store tickets electronically (with customer consent) and must keep a secure customer‑linked database, notify customers of winning values within 24 hours of a drawing, and submit to random audits.
    • Prohibitions: Courier services may not charge, accept, or be paid a portion or percentage of lottery winnings as a fee. Operating without registration is a third‑degree crime.

  • Self‑exclusion list for State Lottery

    • State Lottery Commission to establish a voluntary self‑exclusion list allowing individuals to exclude themselves from participating in State Lottery games.
    • Commission to create procedures for placement/removal, transmit identifying information to registered couriers, and require couriers to exclude listed persons from targeted mailings/promotions and deny certain benefits (e.g., credit) as determined by the commission.
    • Prizes/winnings obtained by or owed to a person on the self‑exclusion list may be forfeited by commission order after notice and an opportunity to be heard. Forfeited funds are earmarked for the Department of Human Services (DHS) for compulsive gambling treatment and prevention programs.
    • The commission may fine courier services up to $5,000 per incident for willful violations of the self‑exclusion regulations; fines are similarly earmarked to DHS.

Fiscal and administrative impact

  • Office of Legislative Services (fiscal estimate) — potential annual State revenue increases: indeterminate (could rise if electronic courier sales increase lottery sales).
  • DHS may receive indeterminate additional revenue from forfeited prizes and fines; those funds are to be appropriated to compulsive gambling treatment/prevention, increasing outlays for those programs.
  • Division of State Lottery may incur increased workload and possible staff needs to implement and enforce new rules, maintain the self‑exclusion list, and transmit exclusion data to couriers.

Who is affected

  • Registered lottery courier services (new business and regulatory obligations; penalties for noncompliance).
  • Division of State Lottery and State Lottery Commission (rulemaking, enforcement, system operations).
  • Department of Human Services (recipient of forfeited winnings/fines; responsible for treatment program expenditures).
  • Individuals seeking to self‑exclude (will be able to opt out; understand they may forfeit winnings during exclusion).
  • Unregistered operators (subject to criminal penalties).

Legislative/timeline notes

  • Introduced June 23, 2025. Referred to relevant committees (Civil Service & Pensions; Budget & Appropriations).
  • Reported out of committee and amended; committee amendments removed an original provision that would have required an additional FY2026 contribution from the Lottery Enterprise to State pension funds.
  • Reported with amendments to the Senate and recommitted to Finance; current status reported and committed to Finance (Nov 13, 2025).

This summary highlights the bill’s core changes: expanding authorized electronic distribution channels for instant lottery tickets via registered courier services while adding a consumer protection element via a self‑exclusion program and establishing enforcement/funding mechanisms for gambling treatment.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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