Gambling therapist warns current betting safeguards are not enough

• At a time when legal sports betting is available in 40 US states, one gambling therapist speaks about the importance of protecting consumers
• Harry Levant, an expert therapist who was recently interviewed, encouraged lawmakers to better protect bettors via robust policies
• Amid the ongoing betting expansion across the country, a number of high-profile scandals involving professional athletes have impacted their reputation

A gambling therapist who happens to be a former gambling addict spoke about the concerns associated with sports betting and encouraged lawmakers to enforce restrictions with the goal of reducing problem gambling and harm.

That's the opinion of Harry Levant, a recovered problem gambler, who now works as a therapist and helps others overcome addictions.

Better policies for player protection are needed, expert says

Levant was recently interviewed by Spectrum Bay News 9 and spoke about the importance of protecting bettors from excessive gambling and harm.

Before becoming a director of gambling policy at the Public Health Advocacy Institute and a gambling therapist, he struggled with gambling addiction.

In Levant's case, the addiction to gambling culminated in 12 to 14 months' time and resulted in him losing his job as a lawyer.

Avoiding prison time and recovering from gambling addiction, he decided to help others.

In the recent interview, Levant spoke about the importance of regulating betting effectively in the context of the exponential expansion of legal wagering across the United States.

He encouraged lawmakers to limit the use of artificial intelligence tools for micro-betting purposes and tighten rules for in-game sports wagering.

Equally as important, Levant supports the implementation of affordability checks before bettors are permitted to place wagers.

At the same time, the expert highlighted the importance of limiting the use of VIP managers or programs that encourage players to spend more.

Last but not least, Levant urged lawmakers to implement policies that can effectively regulate the number of deposits users can make within a specific timeframe.

While sports betting continues to expand across the country, illegal sports gambling and match-fixing scandals continue to raise concerns.

One such recent case shook fans of basketball, putting a stain on the reputation of players like Jontay Porter and Terry Rozier.

While the former received a banned from the NBA, the latter is now going to scoop a $26.6m pay package, despite the ongoing investigation into suspected corruption.

It is worth noting that Rozier has continuously refuted the allegations that he was involved in any unlawful activities.

Yet he is expected to appear in court next month and remains free on a $3m bail bond.

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