U.S. lawmakers introduce bill to put regulations on sports betting

Sports gambling has exploded across the United States over the past six years and, in response, two lawmakers have introduced legislation that would implement federal regulations on the practice.

Rep. Paul Tonko D-N.Y. and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., on Thursday introduced the Supporting Affordability and Fairness with Every Bet, or the SAFE Bet Act, which seeks to ensure sports betting operators comply with minimum federal standards and tries to address the public health implications resulting from the legalization of sports betting.

“This relationship between the gambling industry and sports has reached intolerably dangerous levels, and it’s well past time for Congress to just to step up and make a difference,” Tonko said in a press conference on Thursday.

The Supreme Court struck down the federal ban on sports betting in 2018. Six years later, sports betting has exploded across the United States, as 38 states have legalized it. The industry posted a record $11 billion in 2023, marking a 44% increase over the previous year, according to the American Gaming Association.

It’s also brought billions in new revenue to states as they take a cut of the pie through taxes.

The rapid growth has led to operators fronting big money to acquire customers through advertisements, promotions and enticements.

“Now every single solitary moment of every sporting event across the globe has become a betting opportunity, whether you’re scrolling on social media, driving down the highway past billboards, or listening to your favorite podcast or radio station, sports betting ads are there to prompt you with an endless cascade of flashy promotions,” Tonko said.

Gordon Douglas joined the lawmakers at the press conference and said he’s seen the challenges of gambling addiction firsthand with his son, 28-year-old Andrew Douglas. Gordon Douglas says his son, an athlete and coach, signed up with a gambling company and was then inundated with promotions and ads from at least six others.

“He became a different person that would say anything to get money to gamble,” he said. “He reached a point of wanting to end his life because he saw no way out.”

The Douglas family is not alone — an estimated 7 million people in the U.S. have a gambling problem, with one in five problem gamblers having attempted suicide, according to the National Institutes of Health and National Council on Problem Gambling.

A July report found that the odds of bankruptcy filing in states with legal betting increased by as much as 25% to 30%.

The lawmakers say they are not trying to ban gambling on sports — they are just trying to make it safe for the public to enjoy as a recreational activity by pushing for a national standard.

“State regulation is faint-hearted and half-baked. That’s why we need a national standard — not to ban gambling — but simply to take back control over an industry that is out of bounds,” Blumenthal said Thursday.

The bill addresses three key areas tied to sports betting:…