Northeastern University School of Law’s Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) is supporting Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) in their reintroduction of the SAFE Bet Act, which tackles the dangers of legalized gambling.
Although sports betting is allowed in 39 states and the District of Columbia as of 2025, the threats to public health that legal sports betting poses are not adequately addressed by the controls that are in place.
These public health issues are addressed by the SAFE Bet Act, which was originally introduced in September 2024.
The SAFE Bet Act preserves the opportunity for anybody who wants to engage in legal sports betting while establishing federal regulations. These guidelines will cover topics including artificial intelligence, affordability, and advertising.
Dr. Harry Levant, PHAI’s Director of Gambling Policy, stated: “The gambling industry’s explosive growth has led to a public health crisis whose extent we are just now realizing.”
“Once unthinkable partnerships between the gambling industry, professional and collegiate sports, broadcast media, and technology companies have resulted in the delivery of non-stop gambling action on virtually every phone, tablet, computer, and television.
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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,” Levant added.
“Like cigarettes, online sports gambling apps are a highly addictive product designed to entrap consumers into compulsive use, robbing them of free choice as well their money.
The Safe Bets Act aims, among other things, to eliminate the predatory features of current sports betting apps, still allowing users to bet on the game but not to bet compulsively instead of even watching the game,” said PHAI President and Professor of Law at Northeastern University, Richard Daynard.
“Where there is a public health problem, there needs to be a public health solution. At PHAI, we understand that blaming the people who are struggling with gambling and referring to them as ‘irresponsible’ consumers is not a public health solution.
The 2025 SAFE Bet Act recognizes that the government needs to take a more active role when dealing with the new high-intensity sports gambling products that are causing so much pain today. The SAFE Bet Act is a public health solution,” said Mark Gottlieb, Executive Director of PHAI.
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