New Jersey Economic Development Authority Seeks Information from Sports Wagering Industry to Advance Workforce Development Opportunities

TRENTON, N.J. (January 7, 2020) – The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Labor (DOL) and the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, issued a Request for Information (RFI) today, seeking input on workforce development opportunities for current and future sports wagering industry employees in New Jersey. The RFI is the latest in a series of steps the State of New Jersey is taking to make the Garden State a hub for sports wagering innovation, services, and technology.

Sports wagering platform providers, casinos, suppliers within the sports-betting supply chain, post-secondary educational institutions, relevant industry or trade groups, and municipal or county governments are encouraged to respond to the RFI via https://www.njeda.com/pdfs/rfps/RFI-OET-095/OET_SportsBetting_WorkforceDevRFI_V14.aspx . Responses must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, January 31, 2020.

Submissions should include information on the types of skills or knowledge unique to the sports-betting industry, like trading, that may not be currently prevalent in New Jersey’s (or the United States’) labor markets. Respondents should also provide potential ideas for creating workforce development training programs or initiatives that train New Jersey workers in these relevant skills.

In less than a year and a half of legal regulated sports wagering, customers have wagered over $3 billion on sports in New Jersey, topping Nevada in May, July, and August for money bet on sports.

“Sports wagering is a high-wage, high-growth sector that has already benefited New Jersey’s economy,” NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan said. “Creating good paying jobs and cultivating a talent pipeline to support this burgeoning industry is critical to Governor Murphy’s vision to creating a stronger and fairer New Jersey economy.”

Sullivan noted that New Jersey has all the ingredients necessary to make it a world-class destination for companies throughout the sports wagering ecosystem– a strategic location at the heart of the Northeast Corridor, best-in-class digital infrastructure, a highly-talented workforce, and an innovative and progressive regulatory regime.

“We’re seeing enormous interest from companies up and down the sports wagering supply chain wanting to learn more about how they can get involved with this growing industry in the Garden State,” New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement Director David Rebuck said. “The feedback NJEDA will receive as a result of the RFI will help New Jersey strengthen this industry as we enter a new decade and beyond.”

The NJEDA held its first-ever sports betting networking event in September 2019 to connect leaders within the Garden State’s growing sports wagering industry and is planning several initiatives throughout 2020 to continue to grow and foster connectivity among companies and additional stakeholders within New Jersey’s sports wagering industry, including the formation of an Executive Working Group to help guide policy development within the sector.

About the New Jersey Economic Development Authority
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) serves as the State’s principal agency for driving economic growth. The NJEDA is committed to making New Jersey a national model for inclusive and sustainable economic development by focusing on key strategies to help build strong and dynamic communities, create good jobs for New Jersey residents, and provide pathways to a stronger and fairer economy. Through partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders, the NJEDA creates and implements initiatives to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life in the State and strengthen New Jersey’s long-term economic competitiveness.