Pennsylvania lawmakers pushing for new gambling safeguards for young adults
Gambling addiction is impacting more young people, so much so that state lawmakers are calling it an epidemic. They feel that more guardrails need to be in place to protect people as young as teens from getting themselves into addiction problems.
If you're a sports fan, the ads are everywhere. They're in games, in commercials, and on social media.
"We've allowed this harm to grow up and now we need to put in some more guardrails and protections," Dr. Robert Tessier of the Pennsylvania Society of Addiction Medicine said during a hearing Friday at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
This is one of the driving forces behind why Sen. Wayne Fontana is looking at what can be done to help people who are struggling. Gambling addiction help groups say the demographic of people asking for help has gone from middle-aged adults to the 18-34 demographic.
"There's a lot to be concerned about because there are a lot of conversations that are not being had at the level that they should be, and we are seeing some situations that are becoming problematic," Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania executive director Josh Ercole said.
There's the ease of access to placing bets.
Typing "parlay" on X can quickly lead users to accounts promoting betting, and within just a few clicks, wagers can be placed on games. That ease of access and minimal friction is part of what's driving Sen. Fontana's push for new legislation, including a renewed effort to ban the use of credit cards for online gambling. He is also proposing measures to block direct marketing and promotions aimed at people on self-exclusion lists, individuals who have voluntarily barred themselves from casinos and gambling.
"It's not an individual problem anymore. It's really a societal one," Carnegie Mellon University professor Dr. Linda Moya said.
"I noticed students placing bets in the classroom. Taking out their phones and placing bets," said Dr. Ron Yurko, director of the Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Center.
Some popular betting sites, such as FanDuel, DraftKings, Fanatics, and Bet365, said they don't take credit cards. FanDuel added that it will send resources for people who self-exclude.