A newly proposed invoice would require states that permit sports activities betting to satisfy minimal federal requirements protecting promoting, affordability and synthetic intelligence.
The SAFE Bet Act was launched Thursday (Sept. 12) by Congressman Paul D. Tonko, D-.Y., and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., in accordance with a press release issued Friday (Sept. 13) by Tonko’s workplace.
The invoice goals to handle the general public well being influence of sports activities betting and create a “safer, much less addictive product,” the discharge mentioned.
The SAFE Wager Act would prohibit using synthetic intelligence to supply individualized promotions based mostly on a participant’s playing habits and to create playing merchandise, in accordance with a fact sheet launched Friday by Tonko’s workplace.
It might additionally give attention to affordability by limiting the variety of deposits operators can take from a buyer in a 24-hour interval, requiring operators to conduct “affordability checks” on prospects earlier than accepting wagers above sure thresholds, and prohibiting operators from accepting deposits by way of bank card, the very fact sheet mentioned.
On the promoting entrance, the SAFE Wager Act would ban sportsbook promoting throughout reside sporting occasions and sure programming designed to induce playing, per the very fact sheet.
Tonko mentioned in the press launch that there was an increase in playing issues as a result of betting alternatives have turn into so widespread.
“We’ve got an obligation to guard folks and their households from struggling the large hurt associated to playing dependancy,” Tonko mentioned.
Blumenthal added in the press launch: “This invoice is a matter of public well being. It’s a matter of stopping dependancy, saving lives and ensuring that younger folks notably are protected in opposition to exploitation.”
The American Gaming Association, a on line casino gaming business commerce group, launched a statement Thursday addressing the SAFE Wager Act, saying that regulated sports activities wagering operators contribute billions in state taxes, defend customers from bookies and unlawful offshore web sites, and work to make sure accountable and constructive play.
“Six years into authorized sports activities betting, introducing heavy-handed federal prohibitions is a slap in the face to state legislatures and gaming regulators who’ve devoted numerous time and sources to growing considerate frameworks distinctive to their jurisdictions, and have continued to iterate as their marketplaces evolve,” Chris Cylke, senior vp of presidency relations on the American Gaming Affiliation, mentioned in the assertion.
It was reported Sept. 6 that in the time since a Supreme Courtroom ruling overturned a regulation that prevented state-sanctioned sportsbooks in 2018, over $220 billion has been wagered in the U.S. sports gambling business.
