Pennsylvania lawmakers file bipartisan bills to cap online casino stakes and losses, ban micro bets
Representatives Tarik Khan and Jamie Flick have introduced HB 2879 and two companion bills in Pennsylvania. The package would set stake and loss limits, ban credit card funding and VIP programs, and restrict gambling advertising.
GamblingSource: GamblingNews
Two Pennsylvania state representatives, Democrat Tarik Khan and Republican Jamie Flick, have joined forces on a package of bills aimed at curbing gambling harm. The lead measure, HB 2879, is titled the Pennsylvania Online Consumer Protection Act and targets overspending on online gambling platforms.
Under the proposal, online casino operators could accept no more than $2 per wager from players aged 21 to 25 and $5 per play from older customers. Loss limits would also apply. Younger players would be capped at $750 per day or $2,500 per month, while those above 25 could lose up to $1,500 daily and $5,000 monthly. Once a limit is reached, the player would be locked out for 24 hours after a daily cap or 30 days after a monthly cap. The authors single out the 21 to 25 group as the most vulnerable consumers, which is why their limits are lower.
The bill would additionally prohibit micro bets and restrict same-game parlays that involve prop bets. VIP programs would be banned outright, and gambling advertising would be barred on college campuses and near schools. The text also provides for extra funding for problem gambling treatment.
Two ancillary bills accompany the main legislation. HB 2875 would ban the use of credit cards to fund online gambling accounts, while HB 2874 would strengthen protections for self-excluded consumers.
Khan said people should be free to enjoy an occasional bet but argued that the industry should not be allowed to profit from addiction. He said the legislation grew out of a statewide study he had pushed for, which in his words found that gambling companies use predatory practices to keep people betting even as they lose heavily. Flick urged colleagues to support the effort, arguing that sports betting advertising and gambling apps have become part of children's upbringing and that steps are needed to protect vulnerable and underage people from addiction that can escalate over a lifetime.
The bills have been introduced but have not yet advanced through the legislature.
Based on reporting by GamblingNews.