New Pennsylvania Bill Would Further Restrict Gambling Ads

Article by : Erik Gibbs Jun 20, 2024

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Pennsylvania Sen. Wayne Fontana is taking decisive action to promote player safety by introducing a bill aimed at protecting individuals who have recognized and admitted to having a gambling problem.

Senate Bill 1211 seeks to prohibit gambling companies from advertising to self-excluded individuals. As of June 10, 19,678 individuals in Pennsylvania had self-excluded themselves from gambling. This figure is part of a larger context: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) received its 20,000th casino self-exclusion request on June 8, 2023.

The current breakdown of self-excluded individuals by category includes 12,457 for casinos, 4,769 for iGaming, 1,331 for Video Gaming Terminals (VGTs), and 1,121 for Fantasy Sports. The total number of self-exclusions stands at 32,706, with 13,028 removals, leaving 19,678 active self-exclusions.

Sen. Fontana has previously demonstrated his commitment to curbing problem gambling. In April, he sponsored a bill to ban the use of credit cards for gambling deposits aimed at preventing players from accumulating debt.

The bill explicitly prohibits gambling companies from sending direct advertising to self-excluded individuals. This includes direct mail, email, texts, telephone calls, and direct messaging via social media.

To ensure compliance, companies are required to update their self-exclusion lists every 48 hours. Non-compliance with these regulations will result in severe criminal penalties.

For a first offense, individuals face a misdemeanor with fines up to $150,000, gambling entities face fines ranging from $300,000 to $600,000, and gambling manufacturers face fines from $150,000 to $300,000.

A second offense escalates to a felony with increased penalties: individuals can be fined up to $300,000, gambling entities between $600,000 and $1.2 million, and gambling manufacturers between $300,000 and $600,000.

Senate Bill 1211’s primary purpose is to protect self-excluded individuals from the temptation of gambling, thereby supporting their recovery. It also aims to ensure that the gaming industry respects the wishes of those seeking help for their gambling problems.

The concept of self-exclusion has evolved significantly in Pennsylvania, particularly with the introduction of the 2017 Gaming Expansion Act, which included categories for iGaming, VGTs, and Fantasy Sports.

The advent of online gambling in Pennsylvania since 2018 has further necessitated these additions. Individuals have the option to self-exclude for one year, five years, or a lifetime.

Sen. Fontana’s bill represents a notable advancement toward responsible gambling practices. It aims to reduce problem gambling and support the recovery efforts of nearly 20,000 self-excluded individuals in Pennsylvania.