Two Congressmen have introduced new federal legislation that would mandate the U.S. government to conduct a multiyear study into the causes, long-term effects, and treatment of gambling disorders, particularly those related to online sports betting.
New York Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman and Utah Republican Rep. Blake Moore announced last week that their bipartisan Gambling Disorder Health Study Act has officially been introduced in the House of Representatives.
The bill, numbered HR 8970, would:
Mandate a federal study into gambling disorders and harms
Analyze the contributing factors, which may include sports betting expansion
Assess potentially effective prevention and treatment strategies for gambling disorders
Require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report annually to Congress on the study’s findings, and to provide resultant policy recommendations
Federal excise tax would fund gambling disorders study
The legislation stipulates that the study would be funded b..