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NAADGS 2023 Budget Update Shows 28% Jump in Spending for Problem Gambling Services
State-level spending on problem gambling services accelerated considerably last year, with the national total allocations rising from $105 million to $134 million in fiscal year 2023, a 28% year-over-year increase. A new report from the National Association of Administrators for Disordered Gambling Services (NAADGS) provides insight into the increase and which states are taking their […]
Pennsylvania Senator Wayne Fontana Aims To Ban Advertising to Self-Excluded Gamblers
Pennsylvania Senator Wayne Fontana aims to help individuals with gambling problems by introducing a bill to ban gambling companies from contacting individuals on the state’s voluntary self-exclusion list. Fontana believes that those placing themselves on the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s (PGCB) self-exclusion list are effectively admitting to a gambling problem. His proposal seeks to ensure […]
Sam Antar Tells Third Circuit ‘Relentless Enticement’ by BetMGM Warrants Granting Appeal
Sam Antar, whose gambling addiction drove him to commit fraud, has filed a brief with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, seeking to overturn the dismissal of his case against BetMGM. At issue is whether New Jersey gambling operators are bound by the state’s Consumer Fraud Act (CFA), or whether those provisions are superseded by the Casino Control Act (CCA). Antar, […]
Study Finds Motivations Differ for Instant Lottery, Casino Gamblers
According to a recent study, casino players tend to have different reasons for gambling than those who buy instant lottery tickets. That’s important because other research has shown that some motivations indicate a higher risk of developing a problem than others. In particular, gambling as a coping mechanism or to escape from stress is a […]
Sibella Accuser Warned of Link Between ‘Real Housewives’ Star & Bookmaker in Ohtani Scandal
An ESPN report published on Wednesday revealed “Real Housewives” cast member Ryan Boyajian as the bookmaking associate Ohtani translator Ippei Mizuhara wired money to. Months prior, vigilante gambler and Vegas insider RJ Cipriani (aka Robin Hood 702) had tweeted about the possible connection between the bookmaker, Boyajian, and Resorts World Las Vegas (RWLV). Many of […]
Study Finds TikTok Users at Higher Risk of Problem Gambling Than Heavy Drinkers
It’s possible to find a connection between almost any two addictive habits, but one recent study shows that regular TikTok use correlates more strongly with problem gambling than either of those things do with heavy drinking. Researchers also found that, generally, weekly social media use is associated with higher overall rates of problem gambling and […]
WVU Researcher Seeks to ‘Reverse Engineer’ Slots, Understand Addiction Mechanisms
A West Virginia University (WVU) researcher will put slot machines under the microscope in a bid to better understand their addictive features. Mariya Cherkasova of WVU’s Eberly College of Arts and Sciences will spend two years reverse-engineering slot mechanics to demystify the machines’ appeal. “From a public health perspective, there’s a continuum of gambling,” Cherkasova, […]
Shawn Fluharty Waves Off Criticism of West Virginia Data Sharing Bill, Says Original Spirit is Intact
On March 9, West Virginia became the first state to pass a law requiring gambling operators to share data with academics for research purposes. The version of the bill that made it through the Senate earlier this month bears some significant changes from the original version introduced by House Speaker Roger Hanshaw and Minority Whip […]
SAFE Bet Act: Rep. Tonko Resumes Push for Federal Involvement in Online Gambling
Paul Tonko, a federal House Representative from New York, has renewed his effort to get the federal government involved in regulated online gambling with a new bill for 2024, the SAFE Bet Act. That acronym—Supporting Affordability and Fairness with Every (Bet)—makes for catchier branding than last year’s BOFA, the Betting on Our Future Act. In terms of spirit, though, […]
More Pennsylvanians Using Text Messages & Online Chat for Problem Gambling Help, 2023 Data Shows
Last year, Pennsylvanians increasingly sought problem gambling help via text and online chat, according to data from the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania (CCGP). CCGP is responsible for promoting and monitoring 1-800-GAMBLER helpline use in the state. Ahead of the release of its annual report, CCGP shared its call data with Bonus and PlayUSA. In addition […]
