Ahead of the NCAA’s March Madness tournament, Congressman Paul D. Tonko and Senator Richard Blumenthal have reintroduced the Supporting Affordability and Fairness with Every Bet (SAFE Bet) Act. The legislation seeks to establish federal consumer protection standards for the mobile sports betting industry.
This marks a renewed push from both legislators. When the SAFE Bet Act was formally introduced last September, it was met with criticism from many quarters, including operators, consultants and several problem and responsible gambling advocates.
The legislation saw no action in the prior congressional session, with many parties taking issue with the scope of the proposal and others contending the act would be unconstitutional. Still, the pushback has seemingly not slowed down Tonko and Blumenthal, who are now reintroducing the bill.
At a press conference on March 11, the lawmakers were joined by gambling addiction survivors and advocacy groups, including the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) at Northeastern University School of Law. The bill, they explained, is not intended to ban digital gambling but to implement safeguards against predatory practices.
Tonko said the rapid expansion of sports betting required greater oversight. “In just a few years, the sports gambling industry has become entrenched in every aspect of sports, with every play, pass, pitch, and punt marketed as a moment to bet,” he said.
He stressed the importance of federal intervention, comparing it to past regulations on the tobacco and alcohol industries. “We must take action to limit the harm of this addictive product,” Tonko added.
Senator Richard Blumenthal
Meanwhile, Blumenthal criticized sports betting companies for their use of artificial intelligence to identify vulnerable consumers. “Sports betting has become a science for gambling entities. It is the science of exploitation and targeting individuals prone to addiction,” he said.
The SAFE Bet Act would require states to meet federal standards on marketing, affordability, and AI use in gambling platforms. Additionally, the bill would introduce restrictions on in-play betting and college proposition wagers, two of the fastest-growing segments in online gambling.
Mark Gottlieb, Executive Director of PHAI, called for stricter federal regulations, arguing that voluntary self-exclusion programs and responsible gambling initiatives were insufficient. “Where there is a public health problem, there needs to be a public health solution,” he said. “The SAFE Bet Act is that solution.”
The legislation also seeks to curb VIP programs and loyalty incentives, which, according to advocates, encourage excessive gambling. It would also require operators to eliminate the use of AI for targeting high-risk bettors and create a national self-exclusion list.
The bill would further direct the U.S. Surgeon General to study gambling-related harm and allow the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to collect data on the issue.
A notable revision to the proposal includes requiring states to cooperate with the federal government to combat illegal offshore gambling. This would mark a shift from the current state-led approach, where regulators in jurisdictions such as Arizona and Michigan have independently taken action against unlicensed sportsbooks.
The SAFE Bet Act also introduces a federal licensing requirement for states offering legal sports betting. If enacted, states would have to seek approval from the U.S. Attorney General to maintain their sports betting markets.
This would effectively reintroduce federal oversight of sports wagering, a departure from the current system established after the Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2025/03/13/98043-safe-bet-act-reintroduced-to-regulate-sports-betting-ahead-of-march-madness
