United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) District Council of New York and New Jersey, which represents tens of thousands of workers across New Jersey, endorsed Cape May Mayor Zack Mullock for Congress in New Jersey’s Second Congressional District.
Continue reading “UFCW New York/New Jersey District Council Endorses Zack Mullock for Congress”
BYLINE: CHRISTEN BROWNLEE
At a glance:
Newswise — Cancer immunotherapy drugs known as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can be miracle drugs for cancer patients, curing some and turning deadly disease into a manageable chronic condition in others. But these drugs work for only a subset of patients, with few indications why — a knowledge gap that has detrimental effects on patient prognosis, clinical trial recruitment, and research that could lead to new therapies.
Continue reading “AI Tool Will Help Improve Cancer Treatment”
“I’m proud that New Jersey has once again delivered a responsible budget for the hardworking families we serve, with meaningful property tax relief and the preservation of the Stay NJ program.
“At a time when dangerous, shortsighted federal cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and Affordable Care Act subsidies are shifting billions of dollars in costs onto states and pulling critical support away from families, New Jersey has stepped up to protect the services our residents rely on.”
On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, neighborhoods throughout Gloucester Township are being invited to join forces with thousands of communities nationwide for National Annual Night Out (NNO) crime/drug prevention event. National Night Out is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) and co-sponsored locally by the Gloucester Township Police Department and will involve communities from all fifty states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities, and military bases around the world.
Continue reading “National Night Out In Gloucester Township- August 4, 2026”
A suite of critical energy and environmental bills passed the NJ Legislature with New Jersey’s Fiscal Year 27 (FY27) Budget session.
The following bills have passed both the Assembly and Senate, and head to Governor Sherrill’s desk to await her signature:
The General Assembly on Tuesday passed a three-bill package sponsored by Assemblywoman Andrea Katz that addresses the growing youth mental health crisis and strengthens protections for minors online.
“Social media has become a central part of daily life for young people, but we are learning more and more about the risks that can come with excessive use, addictive platform features, and the collection of minors’ personal data,” said Assemblywoman Katz (D-Atlantic, Burlington). “As a mom of three teenagers, I know social media isn’t going anywhere. Our responsibility is to make sure the digital world is safer for kids. This package takes a thoughtful, comprehensive approach by strengthening privacy protections, investing in research, and giving policymakers the information they need to better protect children while helping families and educators support healthier online habits.”
Continue reading “Assembly Passes Katz Bill Package to Strengthen Online Protections for Minors”The advent of cryptocurrency has sparked a modern-day digital gold rush, as investors and industries race to leverage the power of coins like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin. While crypto volatility grabs headlines, a quiet revolution is happening in online gambling. Cryptocurrencies enable fast, private betting unrestricted by regulation or banking bottlenecks.
This perfect storm of anonymity and independence is accelerating the $66.7 billion global online gambling industry’s shift from fiat money. Let’s explore the undercurrent sweeping bookmakers, casinos, lottery, poker, and bingo brands to crypto.
Cryptocurrency solves two central issues for the online gambling sector – privacy and speed. For instance, RetroBet players have traditionally relied on banks or payment processors like Visa and PayPal to move money. These financial middlemen demand identity verification, track transactions, and can block payments they deem suspicious.
For passionate online gamblers seeking anonymity, this is unacceptable overreach. Cryptocurrencies operate on public blockchains secured by advanced cryptography, not third parties. Gambling sites leveraging crypto allow fast deposits and withdrawals without collecting sensitive user data. Their decentralized design also makes government oversight extremely difficult.
Most recreational bettors prefer privacy and convenience over brand recognition. A 2021 study showed that 58% of online gamblers use crypto to conceal their activity, while 68% cited faster payouts as the main benefit. As more players experience the perks firsthand, adoption is soaring.
In crypto’s early days, Bitcoin was essentially the only game in town. The first regulated gambling site to accept BTC was SatoshiDice in 2012. But Bitcoin’s fixed supply and independence from banks appealed most to unlicensed offshore sites operating in legal grey areas.
Through the mid-2010s, crypto gambling remained an exotic concept. But pioneers like FortuneJack, BitStarz, mBit, and Betcoin.ag built reputations for quick cash outs without onerous “know your customer” requirements. This attracted American players to overseas sites as an end-run around restrictive US gaming laws.
Bitcoin’s semi-anonymous nature (all transactions are public, but wallet owners remain unknown) enabled true global access. Whether seeking big jackpots or sports odds unavailable locally, players used Bitcoin to place otherwise impossible bets anonymously. Crypto gambling sites saw usage and revenues grow steadily through word-of-mouth.
The offshore sector now generates $16 billion in cryptocurrency wagers annually from 30 million players. While still a fraction of fiat totals, it’s growing over 20% per year despite little mainstream promotion. However, Bitcoin’s high fees and slow settlement saw players yearn for better crypto options.
Since 2017, rising transaction costs and congestion have strained Bitcoin’s capacity. With average fees approaching $20, gambling sites adopted lower-cost cryptocurrencies for deposits and withdrawals. This altcoin boom gave players more choice between privacy, speed, or brand familiarity.
The most widely-used alternatives today are Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Litecoin (LTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), Tron (TRX), Monero (XMR), and stablecoins like Tether (USDT). Transaction fees are just pennies, while confirmation times range from seconds for XRP/TRX to minutes for BCH/LTC/ETH. Sites typically recommend using TRX or XRP to move funds cost-effectively.
According to CryptoGamblingNews, altcoin support is now mandatory for any credible site:
“Every online crypto casino worth its salt needs to have at least Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, and Tether as options nowadays. Supporting other coins like Cardano, Solana or Polkadot is also becoming more common.”
This flexibility lets gamblers choose their deposit/withdrawal coin based on fees, volatility, wealth growth, or other factors. Lesser-known cryptos also enable betting emerging niches like gaming, sports collectibles, prediction markets, and more via features unavailable using fiat.
While most government entities still grapple to define cryptocurrency, much less legislate it appropriately, the EU is pushing forward. In 2021, the bloc advanced a comprehensive regulatory framework for crypto assets like utility and security tokens.
More locally, Malta pioneered accepting digital assets back in 2018. The small Mediterranean nation has since attracted significant operations from top global gaming brands like Betsson, Kindred, and GiG. Rival jurisdictions like Isle of Man, Curacao, Gibraltar, and the UK also regulate crypto gambling to varying degrees.
The biggest sign of crypto’s online gambling legitimacy came recently from Sweden. In 2021, state-run operator Svenska Spel integrated cryptocurrency deposits and withdrawals across its sportsbook and lottery platforms. Players can now fund accounts in BTC, ETH, LTC, BCH, DOGE, and more.
Svenska Spel Sport & Casino CEO Jonas Nygren explained the landmark decision:
“When consumers show increasing interest in other payment solutions than those traditionally offered, we as a company must adapt. It is then natural for us to also open up the opportunity to deposit with cryptocurrencies.”
Look for other European nations and Canada to follow suit in regulating cryptocurrency gaming transactions, either directly or through digital asset legislation. This will spur the next phase of mainstream crypto adoption.
Rising from obscure origins on Bitcoin-friendly offshore sites, cryptocurrencies now stand poised to disrupt online gambling. The core appeals of privacy and speed that first attracted players still hold true. But increased altcoin support, regulation, and adoption by traditional brands are set to unlock mass market potential.
As more people realize the benefits of trustless, instant transactions for betting and gaming, expect crypto to challenge fiat currency’s dominance. Much like the gold rushes of centuries past, the early pioneers gave way to big business. But this time everyone with an Internet connection can stake their claim.
On Tuesday, New Jersey finalized its nearly $61 billion 2027 budget, which was amended to include $1 million in funding for the Civic Information Consortium, the groundbreaking program that has, since 2021, granted more than $12.5 million in private and public-sector funding to local news and civic information initiatives.
The draft budget proposal unveiled in March by Gov. Mikie Sherrill did not include any funding for the Consortium, which the year prior received $2.5 million from the state. Legislative lawmakers were able to add back in funding for the initiative, though the $1 million is below what was sought by advocates for the program.
Continue reading “New Jersey Lawmakers Restore Funding for the Civic Information Consortium”
Today, Congressman Van Drew issued the following statement after the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved a $25 credit on electric bills for many customers this year, down from the $100 credit provided last year.
“Twenty-five dollars? Are you serious?” said Congressman Van Drew. “Families are opening electric bills that have gone up by hundreds of dollars, and the state’s answer is to cut last year’s $100 credit to just $25. Instead of sending families another one-time credit, the state should stop adding government-mandated costs and surcharges to electric bills every month. Reducing those costs would do far more than a one-time $25 credit ever will. New Jersey families do not want another temporary fix. They want lower electric bills.”
United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), UFCW Local Unions across New Jersey, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), and RWDSU Local 108 are celebrating the passage of the Fair Price Protection Act (A4085/S3612) through the New Jersey State Legislature, which would ban surveillance pricing and impose a moratorium on electronic shelf labels (ESLs) in grocery stores across New Jersey.
Continue reading “UFCW Celebrates New Jersey’s First in the Nation Ban on Surveillance Pricing and Moratorium on Electronic Shelf Labels in Grocery Stores”