Two Congressmen have introduced new federal legislation that would mandate the U.S. government to conduct a multiyear study into the causes, long-term effects, and treatment of gambling disorders, particularly those related to online sports betting.
New York Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman and Utah Republican Rep. Blake Moore announced last week that their bipartisan Gambling Disorder Health Study Act has officially been introduced in the House of Representatives.
The bill, numbered HR 8970, would:
- Mandate a federal study into gambling disorders and harms
- Analyze the contributing factors, which may include sports betting expansion
- Assess potentially effective prevention and treatment strategies for gambling disorders
- Require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report annually to Congress on the study’s findings, and to provide resultant policy recommendations
Federal excise tax would fund gambling disorders study
The legislation stipulates that the study would be funded by appropriating 10% of the revenue that the federal government makes from the federal excise tax on state-regulated sports betting in each of the next three fiscal years, starting in 2027.
The federal excise tax shaves off 0.25% of gross regulated sports betting revenue.
The American Gaming Association (AGA) reported that regulated sports betting revenue amounted to $16.96bn in 2025, up 22.8% on 2024. That raised around $3.71bn in state taxes, although that figure does not include the excise tax’s yield.
Congress ‘must take active role’ in fighting gambling addiction
Congress already passed a bill to establish the first-ever federal gambling research in 2026, although the relevant measure in the Defense Appropriations Act focused narrowly on studying gambling disorders and addiction in military members through the Department of Defense’s Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP), which gives grants for medical research and treatments.
The Gambling Disorder Health Study Act would use a much wider lens, studying gambling disorders in general.
It is somewhat similar to another federal legislative proposal, the POINTS Act, which was introduced in March. That bill would use one-third of revenue from the 0.25% federal excise tax on sports betting handle to fund a grant program to support problem gambling prevention, screening and treatment.
In their June 4 press release, Reps. Moore and Goldman wrote that despite a “skyrocketing” percentage of Americans engaging in online gambling since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, no federal agency is currently designated or funded to lead national research into gambling disorders or harms.
Rep. Moore also directly referenced the spread of prediction markets trading alongside sports wagering, calling it “a new age” of gambling.
“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,” Moore added. “This bill will go a long way in helping us address this crisis.”
Goldman stated that the federal government needs to start treating gambling addiction for what it is: “a growing public health crisis, especially for young men”. The representatives included in their press release data that suggests that online searches from users ostensibly seeking help for gambling addiction have increased 23% since the repeal of PASPA, and that approximately 2-3% of the national population meet one or more of the criteria for gambling disorders.
“This bipartisan legislation is a commonsense first step to help us understand the full implications of the apps and sites that have made gambling readily accessible 24/7; to identify those most at risk of addiction; and to develop strategies to intervene and treat them, just as we do with other forms of addiction,” Goldman added. “Congress must take a more active role in fighting gambling addiction and pass this bill.”
NCPG strongly supports Gambling Disorder Health Study Act
The legislators stated that their bill is endorsed by numerous organizations, including:
- The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG)
- Stop Predatory Gambling
- The Kennedy Forum
NCPG Director of Policy and Partnerships Cole Wogoman told SBC Americas that the national council “strongly supports” the proposed Gambling Disorder Health Study Act and appreciates the Congressmen for putting their names to the issue.
“The federal government has not conducted a nationwide gambling addiction study since 1999,” added Wogoman. “With gambling more accessible than ever before, this bill represents an important and overdue investment in public health. Gambling addiction is a serious and often overlooked issue, and federal research is essential to understanding its impacts, as well as informing effective prevention, treatment, and recovery strategies.”
“The Kennedy Forum supports this bill so we can better understand the scope and scale of the issue and help curb the emerging wave of addictions for profit that rely on shame, isolation, and silence to proliferate in our culture,” added The Kennedy Forum’s Senior Director of Policy Lauren Finke.
