Legislation Would Compel Federal Study Into Impact of Sports Betting
David Genge Published 22/06/2026
Federal Representatives Blake Moore, a Republican from Utah, and Dan Goldman, a Democrat from New York, have introduced the bipartisan Gambling Disorder Health Study Act. The objective of the bill is to direct the federal government to conduct a comprehensive, multi-year investigation into the causes, development, and long-term effects of gambling disorder. It also calls for the feds to evaluate prevention, treatment, and intervention strategies for problem gambling.
The two Congressmen pointed out that no federal agency is currently designated or funded to lead national research in this area. This is despite the massive increase in gambling activity in the USA since the Supreme Court overturned PASPA in 2018.
State gambling tax revenue would be used to fund this federal study
To fund the Gambling Disorder Health Study Act, this legislation would appropriate 10% of the federal excise tax revenue on state-authorized wagers. This would be done for up to three fiscal years.
Gambling addiction has become a significant public health concern in the USA. The rapid expansion of legalized sports betting across the USA has exacerbated this condition.
In 2017, there was one operational sports betting state (Nevada). Today, there are 39 operational states, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. In 2017, total sports wagers were $4.7 billion. Today, approximately $220 billion is wagered annually between traditional sports betting platforms and prediction markets.
Today, 27% of Americans and over half of men have an active account with an online sportsbook. That total includes half of men between the ages of 18 and 49.
National data indicate that internet searches for help-seeking for gambling addiction have increased 23 percent since 2018. Approximately 2-3% of the national population meet one or more of the criteria for gambling disorder. They experience problems due to their gambling behavior.
Here's what the federal Gambling Disorder Health Study proposes to include
“Gambling addiction is a growing public health crisis, especially for young men, and the federal government needs to start treating it as such,” Rep. Goldman said in a statement. "Congress must take a more active role in fighting gambling addiction and pass this bill.”
He believes that this proposed legislation would help those at risk of addiction by developing strategies to intervene and treat them. Gambling addiction would be treated similarly to other forms of addiction.
The proposed legislation would direct a federal study into the causes, development, associated demographics, and long-term effects of gambling disorder. It would look at gambling-related harm and evaluate prevention, treatment, and intervention strategies. It would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide annual reporting to Congress on the study’s progress. The HHS Secretary would also provide policy recommendations to Congress.
"Lawmakers and all Americans need to take a deeper look into the causes and effects of gambling addiction so we can best craft real solutions," Rep. Moore said in a statement.
Problem gambling support groups favor the implementation of this plan
Endorsing this legislation are The Kennedy Forum, Foundation on Drug Policy Solutions (FDPS), New York Council on Problem Gambling (NYCPG), American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), Stop Predatory Gambling, Texans Against Gambling, and the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG).
"The Kennedy Forum supports this bill so we can better understand the scope and scale of the issue and help curb the emerging wave of addictions for profit that rely on shame, isolation, and silence to proliferate in our culture,” Lauren Finke, Senior Director of Policy at The Kennedy Forum, said in a statement.
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