Pennsylvania lawmakers could consider legislation that would block online sports betting and online casinos at schools across the commonwealth.
Rep. Jason Ortitay introduced HB 2631, which would block online gambling at K-12 schools in Pennsylvania, but not colleges or universities. Ortitay’s bill would require PA online casinos and sportsbooks to geofence school properties.
“Our schools should be a place for learning, not a place to lose your future one bet at a time,” Ortitay said in a press release. “The technology to stop this already exists. We are simply asking the operators who profit from gaming to make sure their products cannot be used by a child sitting in a classroom.
“This is common sense, and it is long overdue.”
Pennsylvania sports betting geofence bill
In the press release, Ortitay said the online gambling industry was never meant to reach the commonwealth’s youth. However, it noted that some students use parental accounts to place sports bets and play casino games.
Ortitay developed the bill in coordination with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
The commonwealth has 500 public school districts serving more than 1.7 million students and more than 160 charter schools.
HB 2631 awaits action in the House Gaming Oversight Committee.
Bill in memory of Pennsylvania student
Ortitay introduced the legislation n honor of Ray Mikesell from South Fayette Township who developed a gambling addiction while a student and ultimately lost his life.
Mikesell’s father, Raymond Mikesell Jr., asked Ortitay to act on the issue.
“Ray’s story is one too many families across Pennsylvania know all too well,” Ortitay said. “His father turned his grief into a mission to protect other kids. The least we can do is honor that by getting this done.”
Similar to NY collegiate bill
New York Sen. Andrew Gounardes recently introduced S 10470, which would require online sportsbooks to geofence from colleges and universities in the state. Gournardes also introduced the Sports Wagering and Minors Act to prevent underage gambling.
Gounardes’s bills came after Gov. Kathy Hochul asked for methods to stop underaged gambling.
Additionally, lawmakers in Connecticut passed a bill that prohibits online gambling ads on college campuses.
Two U.S. Senators introduced a bill to ban social media companies and websites from targeting minors with sports betting ads.
Other Pennsylvania safe guard bills
Earlier this session, a pair of lawmakers introduced a package of bills aiming to address problem gambling in Pennsylvania. The package resembles recently passed legislation in Colorado.
The package would:
- Limit deposits within a 24-hour period.
- Prohibit advertising promos and bonuses to those enrolled in the self-exclusion program.
- Prohibit credit card funding of accounts.
“Since sports betting and online gambling were legalized nearly a decade ago, Pennsylvanians have gained around-the-clock access to online casinos and sportsbooks from virtually anywhere through their phones, tablets, and computers,” the package’s memo reads.
“While many individuals gamble responsibly, the explosive growth of online gambling, coupled with increasingly aggressive marketing practices and a lack of commonsense guardrails, has raised concerns about addiction, significant personal debt, and the impact of problem gambling on individuals, families, and communities.”
