PHAI organizes first US event targeting public health in iGaming, betting

• The Public Health Advocacy Institute holds a central role as the organizer of an international symposium focusing on combatting problem gambling and harm
• The event, the first of its kind for the United States, will examine the expansion of betting and online gambling and offer practical solutions
• Recognizable gambling experts, public health professionals, lawmakers and other stakeholders will participate in the event

The nonprofit legal research center focused on public health law, the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI), will host the first international symposium focused on offering practical solutions to combat problem gambling in the United States.

The much-anticipated event will take place on April 24

The Institute confirmed earlier this week that it will gather top experts, lawmakers and stakeholders from across the globe, who will examine the rise of online sports betting, prediction markets and iGaming.

Joining forces, the experts will deliver practical solutions that can address problem gambling, which has become a global threat to public health.

PHAI confirmed that the symposium, titled "Online Gambling and the Public Health Movement," will be taking place on April 24, 2026, at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Dr. Harry Levant, PHAI’s Director of Gambling Policy, commented in a statement: "The rapid expansion of online gambling demands a public health response."

Moreover, Levant pointed out: "This landmark event will bring together the world's leading voices in the public health movement to confront the state of online gambling and the urgent need for comprehensive regulation to protect individuals and families from an industry that continues to prioritize profits over public health."

Mark Gottlieb, PHAI’s Executive Director, pointed to the exponential expansion of betting, explaining that in 20 years, online gambling has come to dominate sports across the United States.

"We firmly believe gambling should be regulated like any other addictive product. By convening international researchers and U.S. leaders, this symposium will highlight how evidence-based policies can reduce harm and protect public health," Gottlieb added.

Lawmakers, health experts and scholars to attend as speakers at the upcoming symposium

The landmark international symposium will see leading scholars, public health experts, researchers and policymakers team up to examine the public threat related to online gambling. The event’s roster of speakers includes Dr. Matt Gaskell, MBE, the Clinical Lead and Consultant Psychologist at the UK's National Health Service (NHS) Northern Gambling Service, Dr. Deborah Haskins, President Emerita, MD Council on Problem Gambling, Gambling Disorders Leader, Johns Hopkins University, New Jersey Assemblyman Dan Hutchison, as well as United States Congressman Paul Tonko and Massachusetts State Senator John Keenan, among other professionals.

The symposium organized by PHAI comes at a time when sports betting continues to spread across the country.

The Institute pointed to recent Ipsos study data, which revealed that more than half, or 56% of Americans, agreed that sports betting undermines the integrity of sports competitions.

The same study warns that 47% of Americans believe sports betting is wrong, as it promotes engaging in an activity that can result in addiction.

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