Pennsylvania is going after micro bets as well as same-game parlays involving prop bets and capping how much can be placed on casinos online in the state. Two representatives, Tarik Khan for the Democrats and Jamie Flick for the GOP, have crossed the political divide to work together on an issue that both parties believe is an important challenge that needs to be addressed – gambling addiction.
Pair of Lawmakers Come Together to Batter Down Established Gambling Practices
HB 2879, or the Pennsylvania Online Consumer Protection Act, is looking to address the issue of overspending while gambling online. According to the authors, this could be achieved by setting lower betting and loss limits for players aged 21 to 25, as they are seen as the most vulnerable consumers.
The bill is accompanied by two other ancillary draft laws, HB 2875 and HB 2874, which are looking to ban credit card use for funding online gambling accounts and further protect self-excluded consumers, respectively. In a statement, Khan commented:
“People should be free to enjoy an occasional bet. But the gambling industry shouldn’t be allowed to exploit addiction for profit. We studied the problem, we followed the evidence, and now we’re taking bipartisan action to protect Pennsylvanians.”
Flick has backed his colleague, urging fellow lawmakers to weigh in and back the legislative push, arguing that sports betting advertisements and gambling apps are now a part of children’s upbringing and that measures must be taken to prevent vulnerable consumers and underage individuals from falling prey to gambling addiction that escalates throughout life.
The bill seeks to make it so that operators may accept only $2 per wager in online casinos for those aged 21-25, and $5 per play for those aged $25. This would drastically reduce how much players may spend. The bill also seeks to apply loss limits, such as $750 in a day for those aged 21-25, or up to $2,500 a month.
Those older than 25 may lose up to $1,500 a day and up to $5,000 in a month. If these limits are triggered, players would be locked out either for 24 hours when the daily limit applies or 30 days when the monthly limit applies, based on the age group.
“Problem gambling ruins lives and destroys families. That’s why I pushed for this statewide study in the first place. What we found was deeply troubling: Gambling companies use predatory practices to keep people betting, even as they’re losing everything. This study became the foundation of our bipartisan legislation to hold these Wall Street bookies accountable and protect Pennsylvania families,” Khan explained.
The bill further seeks to ban gambling ads on college campuses and near schools. The draft law also wants to go after VIP programs, banning them altogether, while micro bets will also have to go, as well as allocate additional resources to fund the treatment of problem gambling.