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Campaign for Fairer Gambling: The Backlash Has Begun

WASHINGTON — The Campaign for Fairer Gambling (CFG) considers the introduction of the SAFE Bet Act a watershed moment in the inevitable political backlash against internet gambling ubiquity in the United States. Introduced by Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), this bill brings much-needed federal oversight and accountability to a rapidly growing sector that has seen few guardrails since the 2018 repeal of PASPA.

Derek Webb, founder of the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, stressed the importance of federal oversight in addressing the harm caused by internet gambling’s rapid growth nationally.

“The SAFE Bet Act expands a high-stakes national conversation that has been escalating on a state-by-state basis and now needs to be reckoned with on a federal level. The federal government has a crucial role to play in safeguarding public health and ensuring the gambling sector operates within responsible parameters. Interventions such as the SAFE Bet Act are an inevitable response to a sector that has proven it cannot regulate itself. We need clear, consistent standards to protect consumers and address the serious public health risks posed by the expansion of this sector,” Webb said.

The SAFE Bet Act includes provisions addressing advertising, affordability, and the growing use of artificial intelligence in sports betting. This agenda echoes longstanding concerns raised by CFG and other advocates about the harm caused by unfettered gambling expansion, including:

• Stricter limits on predatory advertising: Reducing exposure to harmful betting ads, particularly for young and vulnerable audiences.
• Deposit and affordability restrictions: Limiting bettors’ losses and prohibiting the use of credit cards for deposits, ensuring that users gamble only what they can afford.
• Regulation of AI usage: Preventing AI-driven gambling products, such as personalized offers and microbets, from exacerbating addictive behaviors.

Importantly, the SAFE Bet Act introduces public health measures that will bring greater attention to gambling addiction. The Act requires a Surgeon General’s report on gambling and instructs the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to enhance tracking of gambling-related harms.

Furthermore, the SAFE Bet Act’s provisions align with broader policy initiatives, such as the GRIT Act and the Kids Online Safety Act, both aimed at improving corporate integrity and public health.

The Campaign for Fairer Gambling advocates for evidence-driven policymaking, fair markets, and the protection of vulnerable groups from gambling harm. CFG pushes for reforms that require operators to account for the societal and economic costs of gambling, ensuring a fairer betting environment.

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