Responsible Gaming
Guests can enjoy the wide variety of amenities available in a casino atmosphere - from gaming activities to restaurants, shopping and more. Unfortunately, for a small number of people, gaming can be a problem: a disease often referred to as compulsive or pathological gambling. It's important to be able to identify problem gambling and know where help is available, as Golden Nugget employees do through comprehensive training and identification programs. To ensure responsible gambling, the Golden Nugget does everything in its power to prevent the two most common gambling problems: compulsive gambling and underage gambling. Golden Nugget employees are trained to recognize the signs of problem gambling, and offer assistance. In addition, for the safety of our guests, we monitor alcohol consumption and provide alcohol sensitivity training to appropriate employees and managers.
The Golden Nugget defines problem gambling as: Any gambling behavior negatively impacting the lives of individuals, resulting in serious personal, financial, or legal consequences.
Problem Gambling
The following behaviors (or combination of behaviors) may indicate that an individual has a gambling problem.
- Extensive and/or frequent playing sessions, whether rated or not.
- Remaining in the gaming area without playing or after their bankroll has been exhausted
- Regular credit increase requests
- Excessive credit card and/or cash machine use
- Requests to borrow money from other guests and/or staff
- Significant changes in betting pattern
- Losing regard to health and/or hygiene
- Becoming desperate
- Excessive playing in many casinos during short period of time
- Selling, pawning or stealing items to finance gambling
- Gambling to solve financial issues
Self-Exclusion Program
If you or someone you know decides that they have a problem or have become a compulsive gambler, the New Jersey Casino Control Commission has a self-exclusion program that allows problem gamblers to exclude themselves from casino gaming activities in New Jersey for one year, for five years, or for life.
To apply for the self-exclusion program, an individual must submit an application in person to the New Jersey Casino Control Commission at Tennessee Ave. and the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, or to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement at 140 E. Front St. in Trenton. More information on problem gambling and the self-exclusion process is available at the New Jersey Casino Control Commission website, www.nj.gov/casinos, or by calling 1-800-GAMBLER
Underage Gambling
The Golden Nugget has a strict policy against underage gambling. We make every reasonable attempt to prevent minors from gambling or loitering within the gaming areas.
For Additional Help
This information provides only a brief overview of the hazards associated with problem gambling. If you or someone you know needs help ask a supervisor about the many support groups in the area. Or call:
1-800-GAMBLER
(New Jersey only)
1-888-LAST-BET
(National Hotline)
1-800-522-4700
(The National Council on Problem Gambling)
Most compulsive gamblers will answer yes to many of the following questions:
- Do you lose time from work due to gambling?
- Does gambling make you insensitive to the welfare of your family, thus making your home life unhappy?
- Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?
- Have you ever gambled to solve financial difficulties or sold personal property to finance gambling?
- After winning or losing, do you feel like you must return as soon as possible?
- Do you often gamble until your last dollar is gone?
- Do you ever borrow to finance your gambling?
- Have you ever committed, or considered committing an illegal act to finance gambling?
- Do arguments, disappointments, frustration, even good fortune give you an urge to gamble?
- Have you ever considered self-destruction a result of your gambling?
These questions from Gamblers Anonymous spotlight common behaviors of problem gamblers, but by no means provide a diagnosis of problem gambling. If you would like more information, please contact The National Council on Problem Gambling.
*This material was prepared in consultation with Arnie and Sheila Wexler Associates