New Campaign Seeks Gambling Reform in the U.S.

The Public Health Advocacy Institute and Families and Friends of Gamblers united to form a new campaign pushing for a gambling reform.

The initiative, Truth and Integrity: The Movement for Gambling Reform, will officially launch on September 23.

The campaign will kick off on September 23. The initiative, called Truth and Integrity: The Movement for Gambling Reform, is led by the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI), the nonprofit legal research center focused on public health law, along with Families and Friends of Gamblers (FFOG), a nonprofit membership organization that represents families and friends of people affected by gambling addiction.

The nationwide campaign will reach US lawmakers at the federal and state levels, families, policymakers, as well as members of the public and demand accountability and action.

Ultimately, Truth and Integrity: The Movement for Gambling Reform plans to expose and confront sports leagues, online betting companies and other institutions that are 'fostering a mental health crisis around online sports betting,' as described in a press release.

The official launch of Truth and Integrity: The Movement for Gambling Reform, led by PHAI and FFOG, marks only the beginning of the campaign that will advance on three fronts.

The movement will play a central role in investigative hearings at the United States Congress and support the creation of minimum federal-level safety standards for the gambling industry, as well as legislation in the State and House of Representatives.

The campaign will advance and support the development of comprehensive regulatory reform with state governments, in addition to the minimum standards set by Congress.

The initiative will reach Americans across the country, focusing on education, advocacy and demands for action and accountability.

Betting expansion resulted in sports leagues becoming partners of gambling companies.

Dick Daynard, PHAI’s President, commented: 'In the end, sports leagues and other institutions have become nothing more than delivery devices for more efficient and addictive online gambling products.'

Mark Gottlieb, PHAI’s Executive Director, discussed the topic as well. 'By partnering with gambling companies, prediction markets, and powerful AI-driven technology companies, these institutions have become part of an interconnected gambling-industrial complex that has transformed sports into nonstop gambling platforms where every pitch, pass, possession, shot, and play presents another micro-betting opportunity,' he explained.

Dr. Harry Levant, PHAI’s Director of Gambling Policy, acknowledged that for more than 150 years, sports leagues belonged to the American people, offering unforgettable moments shared with children, parents, grandparents and communities.

However, Dr. Levant outlined that currently, professional leagues, including the NCAA, among others, along with individual teams, have 'become full-fledged members of the gambling establishment.'

Since 2018, when PASPA was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, sports betting has expanded exponentially across the country.

Presently, the activity remains illegal in a handful of states while several are in the process of establishing regulations.