New York Congressman Paul Tonko is once again taking aim at the sports betting industry, announcing plans to introduce a new bill known as the SAFE Bet Act later this year.
The bill, which Tonko says would take a public health approach to sports betting, would replace his “Betting on our Future Act,” which was introduced over a year ago and sought to ban all online and electronic sports betting advertising. That bill didn’t gain any traction during last year’s session.
The SAFE (ing Affordability and Fairness With Every) Bet Act also addresses advertising, but instead of seeking to ban advertising, it would limit it. There would be no sportsbook advertising during live sporting events, and no advertising that is designed to induce gambling, such as ads that hype bonus bets, odds boosts, and the like.
The bill, however, doesn’t stop with advertising. Tonko is also seeking to limit online sports betting customers to no more than five deposits in a 24-hour period, would require operators to conduct affordability checks before any large bets are placed, and would ban customers from using credit cards to fund their s.
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The bill would also seek to ban operators from using artificial intelligence to track a player’s gambling habits to offer individualized promotions.
And of all the ideas presented, perhaps the biggest difference-maker would be the banning of artificial intelligence to create betting markets, such as microbets.
“Today I’m proud to unveil the framework for our tentatively titled SAFE Bet Act,” Tonko said during an online press conference Tuesday. “Our new legislation expands beyond just the advertising concerns raised in the Betting on our Future Act and takes a comprehensive public-health oriented approach of requiring states that offer sports betting to meet minimum federal standards in the areas of advertising, affordability, and artificial intelligence.”
The SAFE Bet Act would also allow for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services istration (SAMHSA) to collect data on sports betting nationwide, would demand a Surgeon’s General report on sports betting, and create a nationwide clearinghouse for gambling self-exclusion lists.
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“By taking a comprehensive national approach to sports betting focused on advertising, affordability, and AI, we can create a safer, less addictive product while still preserving the freedom to bet for those who wish to do so,” Tonko said. “This industry needs to change and change quickly, and I’m not going to stop until we get this done.”
Tonko was ed at the press conference by of the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) at Northeastern University School of Law, who worked with him in crafting the legislation.
Tonko isn’t the first federal politician to attempt to get involved in managing sports betting; in 2018, then-Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, alongside New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, introduced the “Sports Wagering Market Integrity Act,” which would have forced states to seek approval from the U.S Attorney General for their sports betting regulatory frameworks. That bill never made it out of committee.
