The Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) issued the following statement to express their continued support and efforts to prioritize and raise awareness for problem gambling during Problem Gambling Awareness Month throughout the month of March:

“The Atlantic City casino industry is proud to continue supporting and prioritizing the efforts to raise awareness of problem gambling. We thank New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Casino Control Commission Chairman James T. Plousis, along with the Commissioners, for their leadership and collaboration reaffirming the month of March as ‘Problem Gambling Awareness Month’ in New Jersey.

The Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) supports a wide variety of efforts to raise awareness and prevention around problem gambling, including:

• CANJ supports the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey and promotes the 800-GAMBLER hotline with a mutual goal of increasing public awareness of problem gambling, along with echoing the availability of prevention, treatment, and recovery services;
• We are committed to ensuring industry employees understand the signs of problem gambling through training and education programs, and most importantly, that they are familiar with the resources available for help;
• We are focused on raising awareness across the broader community by sharing information on how to locate resources to obtain help for disordered gamblers through signage, rack cards, pamphlets, and employee interactions;
• We also offer educational and awareness information and tools such as the state’s self-exclusion program that the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement administers;
• We administer our own responsible gaming programs which impose certain additional restrictions and/or cooling off periods for those exhibiting signs of problem gambling; and
• We ensure that our advertising and marketing efforts align with our commitment to responsible gambling.

The casino industry sincerely values and appreciates our relationship with the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey and will continue to promote action and intention not only throughout this month, but the entire year.”

The Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) has released the following statement regarding Steve Callender, president of CANJ and Regional President for Caesars Entertainment, who is retiring from the industry this week after 43 years of service:

“Steve Callender has been a fixture of the Atlantic City gaming industry since its inception. He began his career as one of the original dealers at Atlantic City’s very first casino after gaming was legalized in 1978. Steve worked his way up the ranks throughout his 43-year career, paving the way for so many in the industry who benefited from his example and mentorship.

Steve’s hard work and dedication led to many meaningful career opportunities throughout his tenure, including serving as General Manager of Tropicana, where he oversaw its transformation from bankruptcy to becoming one of the most successful Atlantic City properties; Senior Vice President of Operations – Eastern Region of Eldorado Resorts; and Regional President for Caesars Entertainment, where he led five properties, including Tropicana, Caesars and Harrah’s in Atlantic City, Horseshoe Baltimore and Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Steve has been an instrumental leader who understands that as Atlantic City’s top employer, the gaming industry is the economic backbone of our local and regional economy. He has always supported initiatives that contributed to Atlantic City’s revitalization and diversification. Since 2019, he served as President of the Casino Association of New Jersey, a trade organization that advocates for legislation and initiatives that support the ongoing transformation of Atlantic City into a world-class destination resort.

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Steve’s service to Atlantic City and the region extends well beyond the gaming industry. Over the years, he has served as Casino Industry Executive Chair for the Penn Jersey Region of the American Red Cross, as well as a board member of the United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey, Atlantic City Executive Council, Atlantic City Restart & Recovery and Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality & Tourism.

Through it all, Steve has remained true to his core values of providing outstanding service to our guests. His drive for our industry has never wavered, and his passion is as evident today as it was the day Steve first stepped onto the casino floor.

While we will miss Steve’s leadership, wisdom, generosity, and unparalleled dedication, it was an honor to have worked with him all these years. We wish Steve and his family the best of luck in retirement, and we thank him for everything he’s done for Atlantic City and our industry.”