Posted on: September 19, 2024, 05:41h.
Last updated on: September 19, 2024, 05:41h.
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) suggests that more should be done by states regulating online sports betting to protect consumers adequately.
Vixio Regulatory Intelligence recently conducted a review on online sports gambling regulations in 30 states and Washington, D.C. to assess compliance with the NCPG’s Internet Responsible Gambling Standards (IRGS).
The results were concerning, with states meeting only 32 out of 82 player-protection guidelines in the IRGS on average. While Connecticut, New Jersey, and Virginia were the most compliant, they still only met 49 conditions.
The NCPG’s Executive Director, Keith Whyte, emphasized the importance of utilizing the IRGS as a guide for developing sports betting regulations to prioritize player protection. The report highlights the existing regulatory gaps and lack of consumer protections.
The NGCP, a D.C.-based nonprofit, focuses on minimizing the negative impacts of gambling addiction and does not take a stance on gaming.
Enhancing Regulatory Measures
The IRGS outlines best practices to prevent irresponsible gambling and has been updated periodically to align with the evolving U.S. legal gaming landscape since its inception in 2012.
The NCPG collaborated with gaming operators, regulators, and experts to develop the guidelines, which cover regulatory policy, staff training, player assistance, self-exclusion programs, advertising and marketing, and account management.
Whyte is urging state gaming regulators overseeing legal sports betting to reevaluate their responsible gaming protocols to better protect consumers.
“Legislators and regulators should take immediate action to address these gaps and reduce gambling-related harm,” Whyte stated.
Ten states and D.C. met at least 40 IRGS standards, including Colorado, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and Tennessee, in addition to Connecticut, New Jersey, and Virginia.
Nine states complied with 25 to 39 standards, such as Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, and Vermont.
Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, and more were identified as the worst states in regulating online sports betting responsibly, meeting 24 or fewer standards according to the NCPG.
Call for Federal Action
The NCPG’s report highlighting deficiencies in consumer protection in legal online sports betting states coincides with the introduction of the SAFE Bet Act in Congress.
The SAFE Bet Act, proposed by U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, aims to intervene in the current state-by-state regulatory approach on sports gambling to enhance consumer protection.
Under the SAFE Bet Act, sportsbooks would be restricted to advertising on TV only between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., with a ban on commercials during live sports programming.
The American Gaming Industry opposes the bill, believing that states already have sufficient consumer protections in place.