Federal SAFE Bet Act Reintroduced Ahead of March Madness

Senator Richard Blumenthal (at the mic) and Rep. Paul Tonko (left) are shepherding the SAFE Bet Act, which appears headed nowhere, just in time to raise funds while people are filling in brackets. (Image: Chip Somodevilla / AP)

Rep. Paul Tonko (D-New York) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) reintroduced the supporting Affordability and Fairness with Every Bet Act – better known as the SAFE Bet Act – on Tuesday, once again pushing for a federal bill that would regulate the sports betting industry.

Tonko and Blumenthal introduced the SAFE Bet Act in September 2024, though it has yet to gain any legislative momentum.

Tonko: Bill Seeks to Address Gambling Harm, Not Ban Betting

The legislators chose to hold a press conference announcing their reintroduction of the bill on Tuesday to shine light on the SAFE Bet Act just ahead of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament – or March Madness – which is one of the year’s biggest sports betting events and begins next week.

“In exactly one week, Americans will be placing bets and likely losing those bets made on their favorite teams,” Tonko told reporters. “We are not here because we want to stop the industry from breaking records, nor are we here to prevent Americans from wagering on sports should they choose to. We’re here today because government, at every level, has failed to pay attention to or understand the impact of gambling-related harms.”

The most intrusive element of the bill would be a requirement that states navigate an application process with the US Justice Department, with the US Attorney General having the ability to approve sports betting proposals for a three-year period. 

In addition, gambling operators would no longer be able to run television ads between the hours of 8 am and 10 pm, or during live sporting events. Promotions offering bonus bets or similar “no sweat bet” promotions would be outlawed. All college sports prop betting would also be outlawed nationally, an area in which many states have already taken or considered action. 

Researchers at the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) at the Northeastern University School of Law also threw their support behind the bill on Tuesday.

“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 recognize,” Dr. Harry Levant, Director of Gambling Policy at PHAI, said in a statement. “Gambling is a known addictive product, and the 2025 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.”

Industry Argues Federal Oversight is Unwarranted

On the other hand, industry groups have blasted the bill as federal government overreach in an area traditionally governed by individual states.

“Six years into legal sports betting, introducing heavy-handed federal prohibitions is a slap in the face to state legislatures and gaming regulators who have dedicated countless time and resources to developing thoughtful frameworks unique to their jurisdictions,” American Gaming Association senior vice president Chris Cylke said when the bill was initially introduced last year.

The SAFE Bet Act appears unlikely to gain significant congressional support, at least for now. Some legislators from states that have large gaming industries, such as Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nevada), have referred to the bill as “well-intentioned” but “misguided.” Some commentators have also suggested that the broad language on advertising and other aspects of the bill could be unconstitutional. 

Currently, 39 states and the District of Columbia have regulated and legalized sports betting. Several others, including Hawaii, are considering sports betting bills in 2025.