Pennsylvania Considers Banning Live In-Game Bets
This follows a new report published by the bipartisan research body, the Joint State Government Commission.
Pennsylvania lawmakers are evaluating potential restrictions on live in-game wagering and advertising as commissions recommend measures to curb problem gambling and protect youth from betting promotions.
The Joint State Government Commission, a bipartisan research body, issued the recommendations after a review ordered by House Resolution 60, which asked it to identify ways to reduce gambling debt, problem gambling and young people’s exposure to betting promotions.
According to the commission, the report is advisory only and any changes would still need approval from the General Assembly.
The sharpest proposal is to prohibit in-game betting altogether.
The commission argued that wagers placed while play is under way can be made at a much faster pace than traditional pre-match bets, increasing the risk of compulsive behaviour.
Its report said betting on individual moments in a game, or microbets, may be particularly harmful because it encourages repeated action and can heighten the speed of play. The commission also noted that parlays may be poor-value bets, but said they do not accelerate betting in the same way as live wagers.
Other limits
Alongside that, the report called for limits on credit card deposits, mandatory preset limits for online sportsbook customers, tighter controls on advertising and restrictions on VIP schemes.
The group spent much of its time on marketing, particularly adverts that may reach under-21 audiences.
It concluded that a blanket ad ban would probably be the most effective response, but said such a measure was unlikely to withstand constitutional scrutiny. It instead suggested curbs on back-to-back advertising and on campaigns aimed at audiences made up mostly of people under 21.
The recommendations come as Pennsylvania’s gambling regulators and public health officials continue to examine the impact of online wagering.
The Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court declared skill games as illegal slot machines last month. The ruling centers on Pace-O-Matic’s Pennsylvania Skill terminals, now common in convenience stores, bars, gas stations, clubs and laundromats.
