As gambling addictions surge, New Jersey lawmakers study limits on sports betting ads

Wednesday, May 18, 2022 10:32 PM
  • Keith Sargeant, NJ Advance Media

Ralph Caputo turned on his television and was outraged by what he saw.

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The Democratic state Assemblyman from Essex County couldn’t get through a channel surf without being hit with a commercial for a sports betting site.

“This over-marketing and advertising is obnoxious,” Caputo said. “It’s obscene. You can’t turn the television on without being hammered by an ad. I’m old enough not to be entrapped. But there are a lot of young people who are being influenced by these ads. It’s very upsetting to see.”

Caputo expressed his disbelief last week during a state legislative hearing on the surge of sports betting.