Online sports betting platforms have become more popular than ever since the Supreme Court in 2018 struck down the federal ban on sports betting. Now Democratic lawmakers want to pass more regulations on these betting sites.
Rep. Paul Tonko of New York and Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut will propose revised legislation of the SAFE Bet Act that would impose new guardrails around the online betting industry.
The bill, first introduced by Mr. Tonko in March, would regulate online gambling as a public health issue and require states that offer sports betting to meet minimum federal standards.
This includes fending off deceptive marketing tactics and limiting how platforms can use artificial intelligence.
The legislation would restrict sportsbook advertising during live sporting events and prohibit programming designed to induce gambling with “bonus,” “no sweat,” “bonus bets” or odds boosts.
The bill also would ban platform operators from accepting more than five deposits from a customer in a 24-hour period. It would require operators to conduct “affordability checks” on customers before accepting large wagers and prohibit operators from accepting deposits via credit card.
Betting platforms would also be prohibited from using artificial intelligence to track players’ gambling habits and offer individualized promotions or create gambling products, such as microbets.
Through the legislation, officials at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration would collect data on the incidence and outcomes of sports betting nationwide and require a Surgeon General’s report on the public health challenges associated with sports betting.
From there, officials would create a national clearinghouse for gambling self-exclusion lists.
Mr. Tonko said these requirements will establish “a safer, less addictive product, while still preserving the freedom to bet for those who wish to do so.”
Mr. Blumenthal criticized eight major betting platforms, DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, ESPN Bet, Fanatics, Caesars, Betfred and bet365 for targeting problem gamblers with promotions and ads and demanded they make it easier for these online bettors to remove themselves from their platforms.
A record number of Americans bet on last February’s Super Bowl. At their peak, geolocation transactions during the Super Bowl peaked at 15,000 per second.
These geolocation transactions happen at several stages of user interaction with a sports betting platform, including when users register accounts, log in, or make deposits.
Calls to state and national problem gambling helplines continue rising.
In total, 52,370 calls and online chats were made to the National Gambling Helpline in the past 12 months. This was 24% higher than the previous year and follows a record in the year up to March 2023.
According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, 7 million people in the U.S. have such an issue. Worse, one in five individuals with a gambling addiction will attempt suicide, the highest of any mental health disorder, according to the National Institutes of Health.
In January, Mr. Blumenthal introduced the Gambling Addiction Recovery, Investment and Treatment Act, which would direct federal funds to help prevent, treat and study gambling addiction. The bill has yet to pass.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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