New Jersey Statutes 5:12-121. Authority of gaming licensee and agents to detain or question persons; immunity from liability; posted notice required
Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 5:12-121
- Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
- person: includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms, partnerships and joint stock companies as well as individuals, unless restricted by the context to an individual as distinguished from a corporate entity or specifically restricted to one or some of the above enumerated synonyms and, when used to designate the owner of property which may be the subject of an offense, includes this State, the United States, any other State of the United States as defined infra and any foreign country or government lawfully owning or possessing property within this State. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
- Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
a. Any licensee or its officers, employees or agents may question any individual in the casino or simulcasting facility or elsewhere in the establishment who is reasonably suspected of violating any of the provisions of sections 113 through 116 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-113 through 116), section 46 of P.L.1991, c.182 (C. 5:12-113.1), section 118 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-118), section 119 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-119) or R.S.33:1-81 pursuant to subsection d. of section 103 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-103). No licensee or its officers, employees or agents shall be criminally or civilly liable by reason of any such questioning.
b. Any licensee or its officers, employees or agents who shall have probable cause for believing there has been a violation of sections 113 through 116 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-113 through 116), section 46 of P.L.1991, c.182 (C. 5:12-113.1), section 118 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-118), section 119 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-119) or R.S.33:1-81 pursuant to subsection d. of section 103 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-103) in the casino or simulcasting facility by any person may refuse to permit such person to continue gaming or wagering or may take such person into custody and detain him in the establishment in a reasonable manner for a reasonable length of time, for the purpose of notifying law enforcement authorities. Such refusal or taking into custody and detention shall not render such licensee or its officers, employees or agents criminally or civilly liable for false arrest, false imprisonment, slander or unlawful detention, unless such refusal or such taking into custody or detention is unreasonable under all of the circumstances.
c. No licensee or its officers, employees or agents shall be entitled to any immunity from civil or criminal liability provided in this section unless there is displayed in a conspicuous manner in the casino and, if applicable, the simulcasting facility a notice in bold face type clearly legible and in substantially this form:
“Any gaming licensee or officer, employee or agent thereof who has probable cause for believing that any person is violating any of the provisions of the Casino Control Act prohibiting cheating or swindling in gaming or simulcast wagering, underage gambling, underage drinking, the unauthorized presence on the casino floor or simulcasting facility by an underage person, or the presence in the casino establishment of a person excluded pursuant to the provisions of section 71 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-71), may detain such person in the establishment for the purpose of notifying law enforcement authorities.”
L.1977, c.110, s.121; amended 1991, c.182, s.53; 1993, c.292, s.31; 2009, c.36, s.22; 2011, c.19, s.85.