HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania lawmakers are proposing new restrictions on online gambling deposits, marketing practices, and payment methods as concerns grow about gambling addiction, personal debt, and the effects of around-the-clock betting access on young adults.
What This Means for You
- Online gambling operators could face new limits on marketing, deposits, and advertising practices.
- Using credit cards to fund online gambling accounts could be prohibited under one proposal.
- The legislation would expand protections for individuals who have voluntarily placed themselves on Pennsylvania’s gambling self-exclusion list.
State Reps. Tarik Khan, D-Philadelphia, and Jamie Flick, R-Lycoming/Union, announced a bipartisan package of legislation this week aimed at addressing problem gambling as a public health issue while strengthening consumer protections for Pennsylvanians who participate in online gambling.
The proposal comes nearly a decade after Pennsylvania legalized sports betting and online gambling, allowing residents to place wagers through smartphones, tablets, and computers from virtually anywhere in the state.
Lawmakers Cite Growing Public Health Concerns
The lawmakers said the rapid expansion of online gambling and increasingly aggressive marketing practices have raised concerns about addiction, financial hardship, mental health impacts, and family stability.
According to the legislators, concerns are particularly significant among young adults, especially young men, who are frequently exposed to gambling advertising and online betting platforms.
Problem gambling is increasingly being viewed by public health experts as more than a financial issue because of its potential effects on mental health, household finances, and personal relationships.
Deposit Limits and Marketing Restrictions Proposed
The centerpiece of the package is the proposed Pennsylvania Online Consumer Protection Act.
Under the proposal, online gambling operators would face restrictions on how frequently customers could make deposits into gambling accounts during a 24-hour period.
The legislation would also seek to limit certain marketing practices, including push notifications and text-message solicitations that lawmakers characterize as predatory.
Additional provisions would strengthen restrictions on advertising directed at younger audiences and increase investments in gambling prevention, education, treatment, and responsible gaming programs.
Credit Card Ban Included
A second proposal would prohibit the use of credit cards to fund online gambling accounts.
Supporters argue the restriction could help reduce the risk of individuals accumulating gambling-related debt through borrowed funds.
The measure would serve as the House companion bill to Senate Bill 265.
Self-Exclusion Protections Would Expand
Another bill would strengthen Pennsylvania’s self-exclusion program, which allows individuals to voluntarily prohibit themselves from participating in certain gambling activities.
Under the proposal, gambling operators would be prohibited from sending marketing materials to individuals who have placed themselves on the self-exclusion list.
The legislation serves as the House companion to Senate Bill 266.
Bipartisan Effort Draws on Other States
According to Khan and Flick, the package builds on legislation introduced in both Pennsylvania and Colorado that seeks to balance consumer protections with continued legal gambling access.
“As a nurse practitioner, I believe we should address problem gambling the same way we address other public health challenges: with prevention, education, treatment and commonsense safeguards,” Khan said.
Flick said the legislation is intended to establish reasonable safeguards while promoting responsible gaming practices.
“Too many young people are being exposed to online gambling through constant advertising and unprecedented access from their phones and devices,” Flick said. “These bills are about putting reasonable safeguards in place, promoting responsible gaming and helping ensure that young people and families are protected from gambling-related harm.”
Next Steps
The legislation has been announced but has not yet been approved by the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
If introduced and advanced through the legislative process, the bills would require approval from both chambers of the legislature and Gov. Josh Shapiro before becoming law.
No timetable for committee consideration or floor votes was announced.
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