US Senators introduce bill to ban gambling ads targeting minors
A bipartisan group of US senators has introduced new federal legislation aimed at stopping gambling operators and prediction markets from targeting minors with online advertising, as political pressure mounts over the rapid rise in youth sports betting across America.
The proposed Gaming Advertisement to Minors Enforcement (GAME) Act was introduced by Republican Katie Britt and Democrat Richard Blumenthal and would prohibit social media companies and advertising platforms from serving sports betting promotions to users under the age of 18.
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Under the bill, enforcement powers would be handed to the Federal Trade Commission, with repeat offenders potentially referred to the United States Department of Justice for penalties of up to $100,000 per gambling advertisement shown to a minor.
The legislation comes amid growing alarm in Washington over the exposure of children and teenagers to online betting content following the expansion of regulated sports wagering across the United States.
Senator Britt described the rise in youth gambling as “jarring”, particularly among young boys, and warned that targeted advertising from sportsbooks and prediction market platforms could act as a gateway to addiction.
A study cited by the senators found individuals who begin gambling before the age of 18 are 50% more likely to develop gambling problems later in life, while separate research showed 45% of adolescent boys who gamble had seen gambling-related content online. Another 59% said gambling promotions appeared in their algorithms without actively searching for them.
Blumenthal accused betting sites and prediction market operators of “flooding the internet” with gambling promotions aimed at younger audiences, claiming even middle school students were now gambling through mobile devices.
The bill would take effect one year after enactment and forms part of a broader push by Senator Britt to tighten controls around youth gambling exposure. In recent months, she has also called on federal agencies to investigate offshore gambling sites and expand research into youth betting trends.
If passed, the GAME Act would represent one of the most aggressive federal attempts yet to regulate gambling advertising in the post-PASPA era.
