The possibility for the "unchecked" gambling growth in the US to worsen the country's mental health crisis has been brought up by Congresswoman Andrea Salinas. Sustaining a plan that would provide millions of dollars for research and treatment of addiction, Salinas is an advocate for accountability in the sector.
Salinas draws attention to the swift growth of sports betting and emphasizes the necessity for study and preventative strategies to manage gambling addiction. The 2018 ruling by the Supreme Court legalising sports betting in 38 states has resulted in a marked rise in addiction cases, underscoring the pressing need to address this problem.
The proposed Grit Act by Salinas, set to be funded through federal sports excise tax revenues, aims to allocate half of these funds for gambling addiction treatment, prevention, and research. It doesn't entail raising taxes, but rather reallocating existing funds through a federal grant program.
Salinas, representing Oregon's sixth district, balances her perspective by acknowledging the recreational aspect of gambling, yet she cautions against the detrimental effects of easily accessible sports betting applications, which have led to 7 million Americans struggling with gambling addiction.
