Pennsylvania Commission Recommends Ban on Live Betting

The Keystone State is the latest to consider taking a big swing at problem gambling.

The Joint State Government Commission released its report on the Pennsylvania sports betting market this week. The bipartisan group has been reviewing the impact of problem gambling on residents to deliver actionable recommendations to curb the growing issue. The study was ordered by House Resolution No. 60, 

In its final report, dubbed the Sports Betting and Related Interactive Gambling in Pennsylvania, the group recommended several new regulations. 

The most significant was a full ban on live betting, which allows players to place wagers on an event as it unfolds. The Commission believes these bets allow bettors to wager at a faster pace, putting them at great risk for problem gambling. 

Proposition bets can be made pre-game but are likely far more frequently made during the course of a game,” the JSGC report reads. “The speed of play can be indicative of problem gambling, and being able to bet on every pitch might be more problematic than betting on a game’s total number of runs. For sports betting, the in-game bets (microbets) might be the most problematic wagers, and these could be prohibited. Parlay wagers tend to be terrible bets but probably do not impact the speed of play the same way that the in-game bets do.”

The report will now be reviewed by Pennsylvania lawmakers, who will decide on which recommendations the state will act on.

More Changes Recommended.

While the proposed ban on in-game wagering represents the biggest proposed change, the JSGC report recommends several others it believes will help.

The following were recommended in the report:

• Ban credit card deposits

• Require online sportsbook customers to pre-set limits

• More restrictions around advertising content and frequency

• Limits on VIP programs

The group spent the most time discussing the impact of advertising, especially for underage residents. While it believes a full ban would have a big impact, the JSGC confirmed it didn’t believe the move would be constitutional. As a result, it proposed bans on ”back-to-back” ads, as well as on ads targeting audiences in which the majority of viewers are under the age of 21.

Another key part involved VIP programs, which some advertisers use to circumvent current laws on when and where they can advertise. Some players have alleged that they receive dozens of messages through these programs per day, often containing exclusive promos to entice wagers.