Senators from both parties introduced legislation Monday that would prohibit digital gambling advertisements aimed at minors, marking the latest congressional effort to rein in the rapidly expanding online betting industry.
The Gaming Advertisement to Minors Enforcement (GAME) Act, sponsored by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), would impose a federal ban on sports betting ads appearing on social media platforms. The bill aims to counter what the lawmakers described as a “rapid and concerning rise in youth gambling.”
Under the proposed measure, the Federal Trade Commission would handle enforcement, including the ability to levy financial penalties. Repeat offenders would be referred to the Department of Justice, which could impose fines of up to $100,000.
“We know targeted advertising from gambling and prediction market websites can serve as the gateway to dangerous habits that too often become crippling addictions,” Britt said in a statement. Both senators have previously sponsored legislation to hold social media and AI platforms accountable for content shown to minors.
The bill comes as concerns over the addictive nature of online gambling and prediction markets intensify on Capitol Hill. Blumenthal, who has pushed his Kids Online Safety Act for years, accused sportsbook and prediction market operators of “treating young people like a good rush, flooding the internet with advertisements and promotions to hook them on gambling when they’re young.”
Blumenthal introduced a similar bill in March focused on preventing abuse and fraud in prediction markets. That proposal included age verification requirements and a ban on advertising to underage users or those on self-exclusion lists—registers of individuals who have voluntarily barred themselves from gambling activities.
Several lawmakers have introduced legislation this year aimed at curbing risks associated with prediction markets, which have surged in popularity. Last month, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution barring its members from trading on prediction markets, amid growing concerns about insider trading on those platforms.
The GAME Act is the latest bipartisan effort to address the intersection of technology and youth protection. In a similar vein, lawmakers have pushed for a lifetime lobbying ban for former members of Congress to reduce undue influence. The bill was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
