Pennsylvania Reps. Tarik Khan and Jamie Flick have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at reshaping safeguards for online gambling. The proposal would prohibit rapid-fire microbets, certain VIP programmes, gambling with credit cards and automatic wagering, while requiring operators to impose deposit and loss limits.
The bill would also set gambling time limits, restrict advertising directed at minors and young adults, and regulate artificial-intelligence-driven promotions aimed at people vulnerable to addiction. It would establish an assessment on online-gambling revenue to support prevention, treatment and research, while assigning additional responsibilities to the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.
Khan and Flick said the measure was intended to address addiction and predatory industry practices rather than prohibit responsible recreational gambling. Its restrictions would affect betting-product design, marketing and the way operators manage customer accounts.
The proposal follows a statewide study released in July that examined gambling addiction, marketing practices and consumer protections. The study was commissioned through a 2025 resolution introduced by Khan, which the Pennsylvania House approved by 189-14.
Its findings pointed to a concentration of online betting spending among a small group of customers. It found that 5.7% of online sports bettors accounted for 80% of gambling expenditures. At one sportsbook, 0.5% of customers generated more than 70% of revenue through its VIP programme. The study identified restrictions on microbets and VIP programmes, as well as a credit-card ban, as potential consumer protections.
Separate Penn State research found that up to 30% of Pennsylvania adults had participated in some form of online gambling in the prior year, up from 20% in 2024. The assessment surveyed more than 3,500 residents and found that more than half of calls to the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline concerned problematic online gambling. More than 10% of adults had used gambling websites or formats not registered with the state.
The bill was announced alongside the launch of Pennsylvania’s bipartisan Problem Gambling Caucus. As we reported Oct. 21, Flick is a founding member of the caucus, which plans to begin meeting when the General Assembly convenes for its 2027 session in January.
