The Division of Gaming Enforcement shall have the general responsibility for the implementation of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-1 et seq.), and to issue any approvals necessary as hereinafter provided, including without limitation, the responsibility to:

a. Enforce the provisions of this act and any regulations promulgated hereunder;

b. Promptly and in reasonable order investigate all applications for licensure and all registrations under this act;

c. Issue reports and recommendations to the commission with respect to all entities and natural persons required to qualify for a casino license, an application for interim casino authorization or a petition for a statement of compliance;

d. Promptly and in reasonable order review and approve or deny all casino service industry enterprise license applications;

e. Accept and maintain registrations for all casino employee and vendor registrants;

f. Revoke any registration or casino service industry enterprise license upon findings pursuant to the disqualification criteria in section 86 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-86);

g. Promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to fulfill the policies of this act;

h. Initiate and decide any actions against licensees or registrants for violation of this act or regulations promulgated hereunder, and impose sanctions and levy and collect penalties upon finding violations;

i. Provide the commission with all information that the director deems necessary for any action to be taken by the commission under Article 6 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-80 through 95);

j. Initiate, prosecute and defend appeals, as the director may deem appropriate;

k. Conduct continuing reviews of casino operations through on-site observation and other reasonable means to assure compliance with this act and regulations promulgated hereunder, subject to subsection h. of section 63 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-63);

l. Receive and take appropriate action on any referral from the commission relating to any evidence of a violation of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-1 et seq.) or the regulations promulgated thereunder;

m. Exchange fingerprint data with, and receive criminal history record information from, the Federal Bureau of Investigation for use in considering applicants for any license or registration issued pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-1 et seq.);

n. Conduct audits of casino operations at such times, under such circumstances, and to such extent as the director shall determine, including reviews of accounting, administrative and financial records, and management control systems, procedures and records utilized by a casino licensee;

o. Request and receive information, materials and any other data from any licensee or registrant, or applicant for a license or registration under this act; and

p. Report to the Attorney General recommendations that promote more efficient operations of the division.

q. Receive complaints from the public relating to the conduct of gaming and simulcasting operations, examine records and procedures, and conduct periodic reviews of operations and facilities for the purpose of evaluating current or suggested provisions of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-1 et seq.) and the regulations promulgated thereunder, as the director deems appropriate;

r. Certify the revenue of any casino or simulcasting facility in such manner as the director deems appropriate;

s. Create and maintain a list of all excluded patrons;

t. Initiate and decide all actions for involuntary exclusion of patrons pursuant to section 71 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-71);

u. Issue an operation certificate upon the commission’s grant of an application for a casino license;

v. Recommend that the commission issue or revoke statements of compliance pursuant to section 81 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-81) and the regulations promulgated thereunder;

w. Accept impact statements submitted by an applicant for a casino license pursuant to section 84 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-84);

x. Utilize, in its discretion, the services of a private entity for the purpose of expediting criminal history record background checks required to be performed by the division pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-1 et seq.), provided that the private entity has been awarded a contract in accordance with the public contracting laws of this State; and

y. License, regulate, investigate and take any other action regarding all aspects of authorized games conducted through the Internet.

L.1977, c.110, s.76; amended 1979, c.282, s.16; 1991, c.182, s.19; 1993, c.292, s.11; 1995, c.18, s.20; 2011, c.19, s.42; 2013, c.27, s.10.