The U.S. Congress is once again attempting to push for a federal gambling framework targeting certain aspects of the sports betting industry.
U.S. Congressman Paul Tonko and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal announced that they will hold a press conference in Washington D.C. to reintroduce the "Affordability and Fairness in Every Bet Act" (known as the "SAFE Bet Act").
The two initially launched the digital sports betting federal framework on September 12. It is one of two federal sports betting proposals circulating on Capitol Hill.
According to the press release, representatives from families affected by gambling addiction and the Public Health Advocacy Institute at Northeastern University Law School will also attend the press conference. They will "discuss the legislation and its impact on addressing sports betting issues in a public health manner."
The proposal calls for the creation of a national self-exclusion list and requires the Surgeon General to submit a report on "public health challenges related to sports betting." The proposal would also allow the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to collect data on "the incidence and outcomes of sports betting nationwide."
"National Ban" on Sports Betting
The SAFE Bet Act is not only about addressing potential gambling harms. It also establishes a national advertising framework and responsible gambling guidelines. It also calls for a "national ban" on sports betting, a state rights issue since the overturning of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in May 2018.
Since then, 39 states in the U.S. have legalized sports betting, with 38 states offering some form of live sports betting. Missouri will launch its legal market on December 1.
The outline of the SAFE Bet Act was first released in March 2024. The act requires states to obtain federal permission to offer legal sports betting. States wishing to offer (or continue offering) sports betting must apply to the U.S. Attorney General, proving compliance with a set of requirements. The application is valid for three years. No application fee is mentioned in the outline.
Last year, some sources indicated that the legality of the proposal could be questioned due to the overturning of PASPA.
Betting Ads Prohibited from 8 AM to 10 PM
The proposal emphasizes regulation of advertising, excessive spending, and artificial intelligence. Regarding advertising, the use of certain words will be prohibited. Moreover, betting advertisements on "broadcast activities" will be prohibited daily from 8 AM to 10 PM. The proposal also requires affordability checks in certain circumstances. Additionally, it will prohibit the use of artificial intelligence to track gamblers' habits.
The press conference will be the third push by Tonko and Blumenthal for the SAFE Bet Act. The new bill has not yet been submitted. A second proposal, the Gambling Addiction Recovery, Investment, and Treatment Act (GRIT Act), is also being discussed in Washington.
The GRIT Act would allocate a portion of the federal gambling excise tax to problem gambling and responsible gambling programs. The National Council on Problem Gambling supports the GRIT Act. Nevada Representative Dina Titus has introduced legislation seeking to repeal the excise tax.
