ASSEMBLY, No. 2701

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 3, 1997

By Assemblymen LeFEVRE and BLEE

An Act concerning shipboard gambling and supplementing chapter 37 of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. a. A person is guilty of shipboard gambling when he:

    (1) engages in any gambling activity prohibited under this chapter on a vessel that embarks from any point within the State, and disembarks at the same or another point within the State, during which time he knowingly causes or permits such gambling activity to be conducted, whether within or without the waters of the State; or

    (2) manages, supervises, controls, operates or owns any vessel that embarks from any point within the State, and disembarks at the same or another point within the State, during which time he knowingly causes or permits any gambling activity prohibited under this chapter, whether within or without the waters of the State.

    b. Any person who violates the provisions of subsection a. of this section is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.

    c. This section shall not apply to gambling activity conducted on United States-flagged or foreign-flagged vessels during travel from a foreign nation or another state or possession of the United States up to the point of first entry into New Jersey waters, provided that nothing herein shall preclude prosecution for any other offense under this chapter.

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    The purpose of this bill is to prohibit gambling aboard vessels that embark and disembark from any point within this State. Federal law permits gambling cruises, but also specifically allows the State to pass legislation outlawing cruises that both embark and disembark within the State. California has already passed legislation outlawing such cruises. This legislation would therefore prohibit "cruises to nowhere," which operate out of New Jersey ports for the purpose of conducting offshore gambling activities.

Prohibits shipboard gambling on vessels that embark and disembark from any point within the State.