WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following final passage of A5447 and S4282 by the New Jersey Legislature, Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) is urging Governor Phil Murphy to veto the bills, which would effectively ban legitimate, free-to-play online social games that operate under long-established promotional sweepstakes frameworks.
“These bills may have passed the Legislature, but they’re the wrong solution to a misunderstood issue,” said Jeff Duncan, SGLA Executive Director and former Congressman. “We urge Governor Murphy to veto A5447 and S4282 and convene a real conversation about consumer protection, innovation, and economic opportunity.”
As written, the legislation would impose sweeping and vague restrictions that impact not just digital entertainment, but a wide range of legal, promotional tools used by New Jersey businesses, from retailers to restaurants to online platforms. The bills include a $20 purchase cap and limit sweepstakes-linked prizes to physical goods, undermining marketing structures that have existed legally for decades.
“These proposals seek to eliminate a popular form of digital entertainment enjoyed by millions of Americans and based on a model used legally for decades by trusted consumer brands,” Duncan previously stated in testimony to the Legislature. “This is not gambling—it’s marketing. Our partners operate free-to-play games with strong consumer protections and legally compliant promotional sweepstakes structures.”
To learn more about SGLA, please visit our website at www.SGLeadership.org and our social channels at LinkedIn, X, Facebook and BlueSky.
Contact:
Laurie Rossbach
Partner, Seven Letter
202.258.7810
Laurie@SevenLetter.com
About the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance
The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) champions social gaming operators who offer innovative, free-to-play entertainment experiences enjoyed by millions of Americans while promoting responsible digital entertainment. Our partners set the standard for innovation, world class games and the responsible use of digital marketing including sweepstakes promotions. We advocate for appropriate oversight that recognizes the unique entertainment value of social online games, protects players, platforms and the community, and promotes responsible gameplay.
The SGLA’s operator partners are VGW, PLAYSTUDIOS, Yellow Social Interactive, ARB Interactive and B-Two Operations, representing Chumba Casino, Luckyland Slots, Global Poker, Pulsz, Pulsz Bingo, Modo Casino, McLuck, HelloMillions and SpinBlitz. Other partners include major payments provider Nuvei. The SGLA’s advocacy and standards focus exclusively on online social games. Our advocacy does not extend to operators offering sports products or transacting in cryptocurrency.
