US Senate Committee Schedules Discussion on Sports Betting

As the legal sports betting expansion looms across the United States, the activity caught the attention of federal lawmakers. Recognizable Senators part of the US Senate Committee on the Judiciary are expected to engage in a debate regarding the betting vertical early next week.

Senate Committee Convenes for a Sports Betting Debate

A full committee hearing on the agenda “America’s High-Stakes Bet on Legalized Sports Gambling” is scheduled to take place next Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at 10 AM. The hearing is planned at Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226 with Sen. Dick Durbin presiding as chair of the Committee. As the agenda suggests, sports betting will be in the spotlight of lawmakers, who will engage in a debate on the activity, its impact and may even discuss potential changes on a federal level.

Recognizable lawmakers will participate in the upcoming hearing, including Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Josh Hawley. Also participating will be Sen. Peter Welch and Sen. Lindsey Graham, among others. While Sen. Durbin holds the role of chair of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Sen. Richard Blumenthal is one of the members of the committee.

Sports Betting Is Far from Federal-Level Restrictions

Blumenthal, together with Rep. Paul Tonko, uncovered the Supporting Affordability and Fairness with Every Bet Act (SAFE Bet Act) earlier this year. In short, the proposal called for enhanced restrictions on sports betting, including extra rules related to advertising or marketing to customers.

Ultimately, the SAFE Bet Act called for the establishment of minimum federal-level standards for sports betting operators. Per the proposal, the standards would cover categories including artificial intelligence, affordability and most importantly, advertising.

The SAFE Bet Act caught the attention of industry stakeholders. In September, the American Gaming Association (AGA), the industry body representing the betting and gaming industry, criticized the aforementioned proposal. The Association pointed to the importance of the regulated betting vertical that contributes billions in taxes annually. At the same time, AGA said that the legal sector protects customers from the black market or “dangerous neighborhood bookies and illegal offshore websites,” as explained by AGA’s SVP of government relations, Chris Cylke.

It is yet to be seen what the outcome of the new hearing would be. Still, even if lawmakers discuss potential changes on a federal level, their implementation is likely to take a lot of time, effort and most certainly would require input from the commercial and tribal betting industry.