New Federal Bill Proposes First Major Investigation Into the Surge of Sports Betting Addiction
Posted on: June 5, 2026, 11:23h.
Last updated on: June 8, 2026, 06:04h.
- The legislation establishes the first-ever dedicated federal mandate to study gambling-related harm and evaluate treatment strategies
- Rather than creating a new tax, the bill carves out a chunk of the federal government’s 0.25% tax on state-authorized wagers to fund the research
- The regulatory pivot mirrors an urgent public health reality, with millions of new customers driving legal sports betting to historic heights
Gambling disorders are vastly under-researched and underfunded, responsible gaming advocates say. New federal legislation seeks to remedy the problem.
US Reps. Dan Goldman (D-NY) and Blake Moore (R-UT) have introduced the Gambling Disorder Health Study Act. The legislation would direct the federal government to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the causes, development, and long-term effects of gambling addiction.
The statute proposes multiyear funding, with the first three years of allocations coming from the federal government’s excise tax on sports betting.
Gambling addiction is a growing public health crisis, especially for young men, and the federal government needs to start treating it as such,” said Goldman. “Congress must take a more active role in fighting gambling addiction and pass this bill.”
Goldman and Moore said the research will help understand how 24/7 gambling apps are impacting the public and determine the demographics most at risk of developing gambling problems.
Sports Betting Excise Tax
The US government imposes an excise tax of 0.25% on every legal sports bet. The feds also charge a $50 per-sportsbook employee annual levy, known as a “head” tax.
Currently, the federal government’s sports betting excise taxes aren’t reserved for any specific program.
The money, about $400 million a year, is instead deposited into the General Fund, commonly referred to as America’s Checkbook.
“We are in a new age of gambling addiction as sports betting and prediction markets have proliferated into every aspect of life. Lawmakers and all Americans need to take a deeper look into the causes and effects of gambling addiction so we can best craft real solutions,” said Moore.
Goldman and Moore aren’t the first to suggest using the sports excise funds to support gambling harms research.
In March, a House bill called the POINTS Act (Providing Opportunities for Individuals in Need of Treatment and Support) recommended using at least one-third of the tax revenue to establish a federal grant structure to support state programs related to the research, treatment, and prevention of gambling disorders.
The legislation has made no progress, remaining in the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
US Gaming Revenue
Americans are gambling like never before. Since the US Supreme Court in 2018 gave states the right to determine whether sports betting is legal, annual gross gaming revenue (GGR) has skyrocketed as dozens of states have embraced the vertical.
Sports betting has been credited with mainstreaming gambling of all forms, widening the industry’s potential market base with millions of new customers.
In 2025, commercial gaming revenue climbed to $78.72 billion, a 9.2% increase from 2024. The haul includes revenue from casinos, sports betting, and iGaming. It does not include other forms of gambling, such as lotteries, parimutuel betting, or tribal gaming.
In 2003, commercial GGR totaled less than $29 billion.
Last Comment ( 1 )
People just want a way to blame someone else and apply a label to their own problems they can control. Too many excuses to avoid acceptance. This world of - it’s not my problem, it’s yours - is ridiculous.