NCAA President Charlie Baker appeared at a US Senate hearing to request increased federal sports betting regulations to protect athletes' mental health. Baker cited a rise in the harassment of college athletes as a reason for increased regulations nationwide.
A recently proposed bill in the New Jersey Assembly takes a unique approach to underage gambling. It lowers fines and removes the threat of jail time. All revenue generated from fines would be used to support the state’s problem gambling programs.
The American Gaming Association has updated its “bet responsibly” campaign to tackle the issue of athlete harassment, which continues to rise across the US. The AGA hopes the campaign will help protect athletes as well as avoid heavy-handed regulations.
Ex-Jags employee Amit Patel is suing FanDuel for $250 million, claiming the company exploited his gambling addiction that led to him stealing $22 million from the team. The lawsuit alleges the company flooded him with messages tempting him to continue gambling.
Nevada Rep. Dina Titus has become the first member of the US Congress to publicly oppose the recently proposed SAFE Bet Act, calling it a “misguided” effort. The bill aims to give the federal government the power to regulate all sports betting.
Two lawmakers have proposed the SAFE Bet Act, which would completely overhaul the US sports betting industry. The proposal would reset the market, handing control over to the federal government. The bill would also add severe advertising restrictions and protections for bettors.
A study from the University of Bristol showed that most US sportsbooks’ social media posts do not include verbiage about responsible gaming. The AGA confirmed the study was likely correct but also clarified that sportsbooks are not required to include it in non-sponsored posts.
Underdog Fantasy has announced that the Game Safety Institute will be its next GuardDog fund recipient, furthering its commitment to support responsible gaming initiatives. The funds will educate bettors and study and disseminate data to help curb gambling problems.
The NFL has agreed to give $6.4 million to the National Council on Problem Gambling over the next three years. The deal continues a partnership aimed at curbing problem gambling in the league and across the US.
The American Gaming Association has released a new policy questioning the fairness of sweepstakes sportsbooks, which are currently unregulated in the US. While no legal action will be taken, the new policy shows the group’s plans to reign the industry in.
