US lawmakers reintroduce SAFE Bet Act amid March Madness betting surge

March 13, 2025

US lawmakers reintroduce SAFE Bet Act amid March Madness betting surge

As March Madness captures the nation’s attention, U.S. lawmakers are renewing efforts to implement federal oversight in the rapidly expanding sports betting industry. On 11 March 2025, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY) reintroduced the Supporting Accountability and Funding for Every (SAFE) Bet Act, aiming to establish nationwide standards for sports wagering.

Timing with March Madness

The reintroduction coincides strategically with the NCAA’s March Madness tournament, a period marked by heightened betting activity. Senator Blumenthal highlighted the urgency, stating, “We’re introducing this bill just before March Madness for a simple reason: to make sports betting safer and to stop the sports betting industry from abhorrently exploiting addiction.“

Representative Tonko echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for immediate action: “In exactly one week, Americans will be placing bets and likely losing those bets made on their favourite teams.“

I'm hosting a press conference to reintroduce my SAFE Bet Act to address sports gambling. https://t.co/0oVi4vKuDL
— Paul Tonko (@RepPaulTonko) March 11, 2025

Key provisions of the SAFE Bet Act

The proposed legislation seeks to address several critical areas:

Marketing restrictions: Implementing guidelines to limit aggressive advertising tactics that target vulnerable populations.

Affordability checks: Requiring operators to assess bettors’ financial capabilities to prevent excessive gambling.

Artificial Intelligence regulations: Restricting the use of AI in tracking and targeting individuals prone to gambling addiction.

A notable component is the establishment of a national self-exclusion list, allowing individuals to voluntarily ban themselves from all regulated betting platforms. Senator Blumenthal stressed its significance, “In some ways, the most important part of this bill is the self-exclusion list, because people want to break the addiction, they want to quit.“

Public health concerns

The rapid expansion of legalised sports betting has raised alarms among public health advocates. Dr. Harry Levant, Director of Gambling Policy at The Public Health Advocacy Institute, remarked, “The rapid and unprecedented expansion of the gambling industry has resulted in a public health crisis the scope of which we are only beginning to recognise.“

He further criticised current industry practices, stating that the SAFE Bet Act “protects the public by replacing the ethically flawed ‘responsible gaming’ model with comprehensive public health solutions designed to prevent gambling-related harm.“

Challenges ahead

Despite its intentions, the SAFE Bet Act faces significant opposition. Critics argue that federal intervention may undermine existing state regulations and question the constitutionality of such measures. The bill’s previous introduction in September 2024 did not advance, reflecting the complexities of enacting federal oversight in a domain traditionally governed by states.