Potential Impacts of the GRIT Act on the Pennsylvania Gambling Market
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Two US lawmakers have proposed creating a government fund specifically for compulsive gambling. The Gambling Addiction Recovery, Investment, and Treatment Act (GRIT) was introduced by US Representative Andrea Salinas of Oregon and US Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.
There seem to be issues over the source of extra funding for problem gambling, despite the fact that no one seems to be complaining about them.
With both legal sports betting and PA casinos online, the Keystone State is one of the states with the most active gambling markets. How may the GRIT Act impact Pennsylvania’s initiatives for responsible gaming if it were to pass?
What is the GRIT Act?
A piece of legislation known as the GRIT Act would increase government funding for problem gambling. It’s the first-ever government funding stream in the US devoted to treating, preventing, and studying responsible gambling and addiction, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG).
Important clauses of the GRIT Act include:
- Directing the US Department of Health and Human Services to handle treatment and research related to gambling addiction using half of the present federal sports excise tax money;
- With the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block, the Department of Health and Human Services distributes 75% of the funds to the states for prevention and treatment;
- Approving ten years of funding and requiring a report to Congress on the success of the program within three years of its enactment.
Roughly seven million Americans suffer from compulsive gambling, according to the NCPG news release. Problem gambling costs society over $7 billion a year.
The GRIT Act, according to Susan Sheridan Tucker, President of the NCPG Board of Directors, is a critical step toward long-overdue treatment for those struggling with gambling addiction. Tucker praised Representative Salinas and Senator Blumenthal for their commitment to tackling the growing public health issue of gambling addiction. The National Council on Problem Gambling fully supports this legislation because it understands how it can positively impact people’s lives and families all throughout the country.
