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Congress·In Committee·12 months ago

House Bill Would Ban Sports Betting Nationwide Unless States Opt In, Adding New Consumer Guardrails

Also known as: SAFE Bet Act of 2025

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impacts

Mixed Impacts(1)
Sports Betting
Neutral
Positive Impacts(4)
Mental Health
Helps
Chronic Illness
Helps
Disability Benefits
Helps
Aca Marketplace
Helps

Key Points

  • Would make sports betting illegal nationwide unless a state chooses to “opt in” and gets approval from the U.S. Attorney General.
  • Sets new nationwide guardrails in opt-in states, like banning in-game betting once a game starts and banning certain “prop bets” on college and amateur sports.
  • Adds consumer limits aimed at reducing harmful gambling, like no credit card deposits, no more than 5 deposits in 24 hours, and an affordability check above $1,000 in a day or $10,000 in 30 days.
  • Creates a national self-exclusion list so people can block themselves from betting across participating states, plus requires annual surveys and a Surgeon General report on public health impacts.
  • Tightens oversight of betting companies with licensing, background checks, data security rules, real-time sharing of anonymized bet data, and reporting of suspicious betting to regulators and sports leagues.
Consumer ProtectionDrug PolicyData PrivacyTechnologyCriminal Justice

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Mar 11, 2025House

Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Mar 11, 2025

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Soon after enactment (applications can be submitted once the law exists)

States can apply to the U.S. Attorney General to run an approved sports betting program

Whether legal betting continues in your state could depend on whether state leaders apply and update state rules to meet the federal standards.

Related News

3 articles
Legal Sports Report·12 months ago

SAFE Bet Act Reintroduced To Set US Sports Betting Guardrails

Rep. Paul Tonko and Sen. Richard Blumenthal reintroduced the SAFE Bet Act in March 2025, proposing a national framework for sports betting. The bill includes bans on college player prop bets, in-game betting, and credit card deposits, while requiring affordability checks for high-volume bettors.

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SBC Americas·4 months ago

Tonko asks pro sports leagues to support the SAFE BET Act

Following a series of betting scandals in the NBA and MLB, Rep. Paul Tonko sent letters to major sports commissioners urging them to back the SAFE Bet Act. The legislation would impose minimum federal standards for marketing, data privacy, and transparency that leagues have not adopted on their own.

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CT Insider·over 1 year ago

Sen. Blumenthal introduces bill to limit gambling advertisements: 'This industry targets losers'

Covering the initial push for the SAFE Bet Act, this article outlines the bill's intent to stop predatory practices. It details the proposed ban on 'bonus' and 'no-sweat' bet language and the limit of five deposits per 24 hours to prevent compulsive gambling cycles.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

SAFE Bet Act of 2025

Bill NumberHR 2087
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

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Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.