Sports betting in Washington D.C. has caught residents’ since the mayor took a twisted decision. Muriel Bowser has decided to strip funding that was intended to support problem gambling programs in the District and the decision is sparking vocal opposition.
Broken Promises
Washington D.C. is like virtually all other states that have chosen to license and regulate online sports betting in that they have a targeted amount of money collected that is supposed to support problem gambling programs. However, D.C. has decided that those funds are better allocated elsewhere and groups like the Sports Betting Alliance (SBA) and American Gaming Association (AGA) are speaking out and decrying this policy decision.
Jeremy Kudon of the SBA wrote a letter to D.C.’s Committee on Health to advocate support for problem gambling assistance. “Legal and regulated sports betting operators provide tools and resources to help players manage their gaming habits and prevent problem gaming, including self-limits on the amount of time spent on the platform, caps on account deposit and betting amounts, and exclusion all together from the app.
“In addition, legal and regulated sports betting operators have dedicated Player Protection teams to support the monitoring of user accounts for potential problem gaming behavior and language. And above all, consumers are provided substantial responsible gaming resources and messaging directly through the app. These internal protections are most effective when complemented by a publicly – administered problem gaming treatment and prevention program.”
Where’s the Money Going?
A set amount of $200,000 annually is supposed to be used to assist those who have gambling problems and need assistance or the support of a program. Yet, in D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s 2024 fiscal budget, she has suggested diverting those resources to other areas.
A reported $600,000 has been sent to the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH), none of which has been spent towards problem gambling programs. And if the mayor has it her way, the provision to support such programs will be repealed.
Brianne Doura-Schawohl, the chief lobbyist for the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), stated, “We’ve never talked more about [problem gambling] as a nation than right now, and now we’re going to take a step backwards in the Nation’s Capital? There’s money coming into D.C. and they’re profiting off of this. D.C. and the mayor, by saying this is going to go away in perpetuity. It’s a failure of their responsibility.”
Speaking on behalf of the NCPG before the D.C. Council Health Committee, Doura-Schawohl said “After more than two-and-a-half years of legalized sports betting in the District, DBH [Department of Behavioral Health] has not spent the $200,000 devoted to problem gambling. DBH has confirmed that it has the money but, for some reason, still has not spent it.”
Doura-Schawohl further added, “The legislation is clear that DBH should be funding addiction prevention, treatment, and research to ensure that there are safety nets in place for those who are sure to develop gambling problems. We know from operating our National Problem Gambling Helpline that 3,623 calls to the helpline were made from the District in 2021, a 109% increase from 2020.”
*Bookmakers Review will continue to monitor this story and provide updates to our readers as events unfold.
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