Pennsylvania at crossroads: Bring down addiction or iGaming revenue

• A report by a Pennsylvania commission is looking into what could be done to strengthen the state’s gambling addiction measures
• With 1 in 4 Pennsylvanians at risk of developing a gambling disorder, individual observations find out
• Potential changes to how the industry is regulated could result in direct consequences on iGaming revenue

A new report from Pennsylvania suggests that the state needs to address the current way online casinos are regulated to better manage the level of gambling addiction in the commonwealth.

The present challenge has been described as an "urgent and escalating public health challenge" that needs to be addressed, argues the Joint State Government Commission in a report.

Report outlines steps to possibly reduce gambling-related harm

The dilemma that Pennsylvania faces is whether to revisit its gambling laws, which could directly impact revenue and taxes, or to opt for a more gradual pace of change.

Among the changes that are proposed by the committee are some popular ones - such as making it illegal to gamble with a credit card - and those that are likely to be more contentious topics among industry types and players themselves, including requiring gamblers to have self-imposed limits on their activity, as well as further restrictions on advertising.

The report bases its recommendations on numerous studies and argues that gambling addiction has a direct societal cost, such as credit problems, domestic violence, and even harassment of college athletes - in certain cases, the condition leads to suicide.

According to the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society and the Pennsylvania Society of Addiction Medicine, the state is yet to bear the brunt of gambling addiction, as one in four Pennsylvanians is currently estimated to be at risk of developing more serious conditions related to their gaming habits.

Advocates for further public awareness argue that to start addressing the issue, the industry also has to be willing, specifically in how it phrases the issue, and shift away from the use of language such as "compulsive gambling" or "problem gambling."

The real problem- a ticking bomb

According to advocates for more responsible gambling language to change public perception and reduce stigma, they propose that sportsbooks and operators, as well as gambling health advocates, talk about "gambling disorder" instead.

The commission from the report also thinks that certain other aspects of the gambling industry ought to be addressed, including prohibiting gambling operators from pushing notifications to players.

The potential implementation of more restrictive measures on existing gambling operations has been a course of action adopted in multiple European jurisdictions.

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