Blumenthal & Britt Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Shield Youth from Targeted Gambling Advertising
[Hartford, CT] — Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) introduced landmark bipartisan legislation to combat the rapid and concerning rise in youth gambling. The Gambling Advertisement to Minors Enforcement (GAME) Act would prohibit social media companies and other advertising websites from targeting minors with sports betting through online advertising.
“Sportsbooks and prediction markets are treating young people like a gold rush, flooding the internet with advertisements and promotions to hook them on gambling when they’re young,” said Senator Blumenthal. “High schoolers, even middle schoolers, are now gambling on their phones as never before, losing real money and creating life-altering addiction. The GAME Act would create a nationwide ban on targeted advertising of gambling to kids, backed with the force of punishing fines.”
“The rise in sports gambling among minors, particularly among young boys, is jarring,” said Senator Britt. “We know targeted advertising from gambling and prediction market websites can serve as the gateway to dangerous habits that too often become crippling addictions. Our legislation takes a critical step toward addressing this problem before it worsens. Our next generation is our greatest asset, and it’s our responsibility to take the necessary steps to protect them from online dangers whenever we can—which is exactly what this bill does.”
A 2024 study found that individuals who begin gambling before the age of 18 are 50% more likely to develop a gambling problem, while 1 in 6 parents say they would not know if their child was gambling.
Another recent study found that 45% of adolescent boys who gamble see gambling-related content online. Additionally, 59% reported that gambling-related content began appearing in their algorithms without them proactively searching for it.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would be responsible for enforcing the law, which would begin one year after enactment. Failure to comply could result in civil financial penalties and injunctive relief sought through the courts.
Under the GAME Act, repeat offenders can be referred to the Department of Justice (DOJ), which could impose financial penalties of up to $100,000 for each advertisement shown to a minor that promotes sports gambling. In cases where thousands of advertisements are shown to minors, the financial penalties could become substantial.
Senator Blumenthal leads several efforts to address the growing issue of sports betting and prediction markets, including the Supporting Affordability and Fairness with Every Bet (SAFE Bet) Act, which would establish nationwide standards and safeguards for the mobile sports gambling industry, the Gambling Addiction Recovery, Investment and Treatment (GRIT) Act, which would dedicate a portion of federal sports betting revenue to addiction treatment, prevention, and research, and the Prediction Markets Security and Integrity Act, which prevents abuse and fraud in prediction markets.
You can access text of the bill here.
-30-