However, other gamblers exhibit unhealthy gambling habits, and regulations can help play a crucial role. They can help reduce contextual risks to those who are vulnerable and promote a fun betting environment.
Current gambling regulations in the United States and California
Gambling has been increasingly popular online in the US since the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. States are now allowed to regulate their own gambling, which has led to more online casinos and sportsbooks.
New Jersey introduced the trend in 2018, and now almost 40 more states have legalized online gambling, at least in part. And while most types of gambling are legal in California, others are not. Gambling laws in California, like those in most US states, are complex. All gaming laws in California are conveyed in the California Penal Code.
Card rooms, tribal casinos, lottery, horse racing (parimutuel bets), and some charitable games are legal forms of gambling.
One of the primary reasons casino gaming and online sports betting are not legal in California is the issue of safe and healthy gambling. However, California’s new Proposition 27 would legalize online gambling.
The proposal, which includes three gaming operators, would help accelerate economic markets and allow those operators to determine their launch times.
If the measure is passed, California hopes to implement more policies and interventions to support healthy gambling.
Measures to encourage healthy gambling
The regulated part of the gambling industry is a responsible entity on its own. Gambling harm usually arises through individual choice and the unregulated industry.
However, further safeguards can and should be imposed for individual gamblers. For other public health issues – alcohol consumption, for example, and eating and drinking foods high in fat, salt, or sugar – there’s well-documented evidence of interventions and policies that work. The most effective and successful methods include price and tax controls and marketing bans on false offers, which have been found to drive down demand and boost health in these settings. Despite the distinctions between gambling and these other health problems, some of these policies might also reduce unhealthy gambling.
Price and taxation
These include raising operator fees, taxing bets, and outlawing gambling with credit. They aim to make gambling products uncompetitive and costly for gambling operators.
Availability
These include limiting customer deposits, spending caps in casinos and casino goods, and cracking down on unlicensed operators to avoid exposure to goods and services.
Accessibility
These (such as licensing gambling products, setting a legal age of minimum and verifiable gaming, and affordability checks) are all aimed at minimizing exposure to vulnerable populations and victims of abuse.
Marketing
Advertisements for gambling products could be limited to certain platforms. Major platforms will focus on sporting events and related fields, reducing the general public’s exposure to gambling products and associated services.
Environment and technology
These might include restricting automated teller machines in casinos or limiting bonus play on EGMs and Internet slots. This would minimize exposure to products that can manipulate gambling behavior. Other options include making EGMs show cash instead of credit and not letting players take drugs during play.
Information and education
Responsible gambling is about choosing wisely and being in control of gambling behavior in the least harmful way. It encourages players to learn about the risks, set their own boundaries, and acknowledge when gambling gets out of hand. The objective is not to outlaw gambling but rather to keep it as a pleasurable, recreational pastime that doesn’t adversely affect a person’s psychological, emotional, or financial stability.
These objectives require knowledge and awareness. Teaching people how to be good gamblers will not only prevent gambling addiction. Still, it will also help eliminate the stigma of problem gambling, leading to a more informed, healthier gambling society.
The Role of Gambling Operators
Responsible gambling is also primarily addressed by gambling operators. A lot of casinos, both online and offline, offer the tools and resources to restrict how much you deposit and lose and how much time you play. Some platforms even use machine learning tools to encourage safe betting habits. Through educational campaigns and in-platform reminders, gambling operators can educate users about responsible gambling and give their customers the information and resources to play responsibly. Most casinos, for instance, have web pages that include information on how to play smart, the risks of gambling, and the phone numbers of organizations that offer problem-gambling help.
Betting options
There could also be measures to scrutinize some of the features offered by casinos and other sporting platforms. For example, there might be a limit on bets placed on the performance of a particular athlete in a team competition. This sometimes leads to threats from dissatisfied bettors. In February 2024, while the NCAA Women’s Final Four was underway, President Charlie Baker complained that Caitlin Clark’s performance overall was getting more attention than the competition. Baker worried that athletes would be a target of angry punters if they failed to live up to their bets.
Final words
Many policies can be implemented to help struggling bettors and encourage an overall safe gambling environment. In some jurisdictions (e.g., Britain, Germany, and Italy), the proper legislation has allowed for healthy market growth. It has helped shape the range of what betting sites can provide and expand their penetration into everyday life. As a result, gambling has become more acceptable in society, and the harms associated with gambling are minimized. Perhaps California will be the next to take full advantage of some of these policies.