Pennsylvania Lawmakers Propose Problem Gambling Measures, Credit Card Ban

^{State Rep. Tarik Khan (D-Philadelphia) plans to introduce the Pennsylvania Online Consumer Protection Act along with Rep. Jamie Flick (R-Lycoming). (Photo: Ricky Fitchett / ZUMA Wire / Alamy Live News)} 

Two bipartisan lawmakers in Pennsylvania have introduced a set of bills designed to help address problem gambling in the state, particularly as it relates to online gambling.

State Reps. Tarik Khan (D-Philadelphia) and Jamie Flick (R-Lycoming) announced their bills on Wednesday, saying they want to see problem gambling addressed as a public health issue.

Three Bills Aim to Promote Responsible Gaming

Two of the bills are companions to legislation that already exists in the Pennsylvania Senate. One would ban credit cards as a funding source for online gambling, and act as a companion bill to Senate Bill 265, which stalled in that chamber last year. Credit card bans have been gaining momentum in online gambling circles, with companies like DraftKings phasing out the practice of accepting them nationwide.

A second bill, a House companion to Senate Bill 266, would prohibit operators from sending marketing materials to anyone on Pennsylvania’s self-exclusion list. That same list just recently cost a New Jersey woman her slots jackpot at a casino in the state.

Finally, Khan and Flick say they plan to introduce the Pennsylvania Online Consumer Protection Act. This bill would “establish reasonable limits” on the number of deposits that individuals could make into online gambling accounts during any one 24-hour period. It would also restrict online gambling marketing via text messages and push notifications, and strengthen existing regulations against advertising aimed at young people.

“As a nurse practitioner, I believe we should address problem gambling the same way we address other public health challenges: with prevention, education, treatment and commonsense safeguards,” Khan said in a statement. “Our bipartisan bill package will help protect young people, individuals and families while supporting responsible gaming.”

Flick: Young People Have ‘Unprecedented Access’ to Gambling

A recent study from Common Sense Media found that 36% of boys ages 11 to 17 in the U.S. had gambled over the past year, with many teenagers reporting that they had been exposed to gambling via social media platforms and online gambling. Flick says the proposed legislation would address this issue head-on.

“Too many young people are being exposed to online gambling through constant advertising and unprecedented access from their phones and devices,” Flick said in a statement. “These bills are about putting reasonable safeguards in place, promoting responsible gaming and helping ensure that young people and families are protected from gambling-related harm.”

Pennsylvania legalized online gambling in October 2017. The first online casinos in the state were launched in 2019, with online sports betting also going live that same year.