NCPG argues SAFE Bet Act incomplete without significant public health investment
National Council on Problem Gambling argues the proposed legislation is missing the “necessary investment in public health infrastructure to adequately address gambling addiction” in its current form
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCGP) has suggested that newly proposed safer gambling legislation is missing key components to make it wholly effective.
The Supporting Affordability and Fairness with Every Bet (SAFE Bet) Act was formally introduced last week, with designs to introduce a “general prohibition on sports betting.”
Introduced by New York representative Paul Tonko, the SAFE Bet Act will look to introduce new federal standards for sports betting products pertaining to AI, affordability, and advertising.
Proposals in the legislation include a ban on gambling ads during live sporting events, banning gambling ads altogether between 8am and 10pm local time, and limiting operators to accepting no more than five deposits from a customer in a 24-hour period.
While the NCPG said it “neither supports nor opposes” the legislation, the non-profit organization has suggested the SAFE Bet Act would require greater investment in public health infrastructure to properly address gambling-related harms.
An NCPG statement read: “The introduction of the SAFE Bet Act draws attention to the need for stronger consumer protections for not just sports bettors but all gamblers and a safety net for anyone who develops a problem.
“However, NCPG believes a comprehensive national public health approach is necessary to effectively reduce gambling harm.
“Such an approach should include population-wide strategies that are reinforced through regulation, legislation, and adequate funding.
“The SAFE Bet Act, as currently proposed, lacks the necessary investment in public health infrastructure to adequately address gambling addiction.”
The SAFE Bet Act was strongly opposed by US trade bodies the American Gaming Association (AGA) and the iDevelopment and Economic Association (iDEA) – the former describing the bill as “heavy-handed” and a “slap in the face.”
The NCPG also expressed hope the legislation would raise awareness of the need for government research into gambling addiction, national self-exclusion tools, and “common-sense advertising standards.”
The group reaffirmed its commitment to pushing through Senator Richard Blumenthal and representative Andrea Salinas’ GRIT ACT, which would direct 50% of the federal sports excise tax into treatment and research.
The statement continued: “Given the urgency of the issue, NCPG remains committed to advancing the Gambling Addiction Recovery, Investment, and Treatment (GRIT) Act, which would establish the first-ever federal funding for gambling addiction prevention, treatment, and research programs.
“The GRIT Act would be a critical step toward meeting the needs of individuals facing gambling problems and ensuring robust consumer protections across the gambling landscape.
“NCPG stands ready to collaborate with lawmakers and stakeholders to advance policies that mitigate gambling-related harm across the gambling landscape.”
The GRIT Act was introduced in January and saw the AGA and the Campaign for Fairer Gambling both come out in opposition to its contents.