US lawmakers introduce bill for federal study on gambling disorder effects

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U.S. Representatives Dan Goldman and Blake Moore introduced the Gambling Disorder Health Study Act on Wednesday, calling for a multi-year federal investigation into the causes and effects of gambling disorder. The bill responds to rising gambling problems linked to the rapid expansion of sports betting nationwide.

U.S. Representatives Dan Goldman (NY-10) and Blake Moore (UT-01) introduced the Gambling Disorder Health Study Act on Wednesday, calling for a multi-year federal investigation into the causes, development, and long-term effects of gambling disorder. The legislation seeks to address a growing public health crisis linked to the rapid expansion of sports betting nationwide.

The bill proposes a comprehensive study funded by 10% of federal excise tax revenue collected from state-authorized wagers over a period of up to three years. It aims to analyze contributing factors to gambling disorder, including sports betting legalization, media exposure, and other social dynamics that affect addiction rates.

Goldman described gambling addiction as a “growing public health crisis, especially for young men,” emphasizing the need for the federal government to treat it with urgency. Both lawmakers highlighted the increase in gambling problems since the 2018 Supreme Court ruling that struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which had effectively limited sports betting. Prior to that ruling, Americans wagered approximately $4.7 billion annually on sports; this figure has surged to over $220 billion in recent years.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine recently admitted that legalizing sports betting was his “biggest mistake,” pointing to aggressive marketing by gambling companies as a factor causing more residents to lose money. The proposed legislation aims to develop strategies to identify at-risk individuals and improve interventions and treatments for gambling addiction, similar to approaches used for other addictions.

Prediction Markets and Online Betting

The bill also addresses the rise of online sportsbooks and event-based prediction markets, which lawmakers say contribute to gambling disorder. Data cited by Goldman and Moore indicate that 27% of Americans aged 18 to 49 have an active account with an online sportsbook, while 33% have used online prediction markets for betting on sports events.

Platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket have expanded rapidly, offering contracts on nearly all esports events, even in states where sports betting remains illegal. Recent state-level legal challenges have arisen: Nevada ruled this week that Polymarket cannot operate within its jurisdiction.

Lauren Finke, Senior Director of Policy at The Kennedy Forum, a nonprofit focused on mental health care improvement, voiced support for the bill. She noted the need to understand the “scope and scale” of gambling addiction and to curb the “emerging wave of addictions for profit” that thrive on stigma and isolation.

Rep. Blake Moore stated that “we are in a new age of gambling addiction” due to the proliferation of sports betting and prediction markets, adding that the bill will assist lawmakers and the public in crafting effective solutions to address the crisis.