Pennsylvania Lawmakers Propose New Problem Gambling Safeguards

Two Pennsylvania lawmakers, Reps. Tarik Khan and Jamie Flick are looking for ways to address problem gambling across the state's sports betting and casino industries. 

This week, the duo announced a few bills to address the problem.

“Since sports betting and online gambling were legalized nearly a decade ago, Pennsylvanians have gained around-the-clock access to online casinos and sportsbooks from virtually anywhere through their phones, tablets, and computers,” a memo read, per Legal Sports Report. “While many individuals gamble responsibly, the explosive growth of online gambling, coupled with increasingly aggressive marketing practices and a lack of commonsense guardrails, has raised concerns about addiction, significant personal debt, and the impact of problem gambling on individuals, families, and communities.”

The package has been built on language "already in circulation" in the state. 

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The first bill in the batch would aim to establish limits on the frequency of deposits in 24 hours. Additionally, it would target marketing practices, such as push notifications and text messages, and eliminate ads targeted toward youth. 

“Too many young people are being exposed to online gambling through constant advertising and unprecedented access from their phones and devices,” Flick said in a release. “These bills are about putting reasonable safeguards in place, promoting responsible gaming and helping ensure that young people and families are protected from gambling-related harm.”

Then there's another bill that would prohibit sending advertisements, promotions, and bonuses to people in the self-exclusion program and increase investments in prevention, education, and treatment for those impacted. 

Additional Consumer Protection Measures Included

“As a nurse practitioner, I believe we should address problem gambling the same way we address other public health challenges: with prevention, education, treatment and commonsense safeguards. Our bipartisan bill package will help protect young people, individuals and families while supporting responsible gaming,” Khan said.

The final bill would also prevent players from funding their accounts with credit cards. 

These bills come after Connecticut has had some bills signed into law, including one with provisions such as ad restrictions on college campuses, a toll-free support line, and more.