Bill would ban sports betting ads during games and forbid bets on college athletes
A federal bill has been proposed to ban in-game advertising and bets on college athletes
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — The federal government would ban in-game advertising and bets on college athletes under a sports betting regulation bill proposed by two northeastern legislators.
Rep. Paul Tonko of New York and Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut introduced the bill Thursday. It's designed to address what they say are the harmful effects of the rapid expansion of legal sports betting in the U.S. since 2018.
The measure also would forbid the use of credit cards to fund online gambling accounts.
The Democratic legislators say sports betting, now legal in 38 states plus the District of Columbia, has increased gambling addiction and other problems. Every moment of every game is a chance to gamble, Tonko said.
“That’s resulted in a frightening rise in gambling disorder, which has in turn enacted a horrific toll on individuals, many of whom have lost their home, job, marriage, and their lives," Tonko said.
Blumenthal called the measure a matter of public health.
“It is a matter of stopping addiction, saving lives, and making sure that young people particularly are protected against exploitation,” Blumenthal said.
The legislation already faces strong opposition from the gambling industry, which has said for years that it should self-regulate sports betting advertising to avoid the federal government imposing standards on it.
The American Gaming Association, the gambling industry's national trade association, said sports books already operate under government supervision, contribute billions of dollars in state taxes, and offer consumers protections that don't exist with illegal gambling operations.
“Six years into legal sports
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