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The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is urging Pennsylvania to enable time and spending limits by default for new online gambling accounts.
In a July 29 letter to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), the NCPG said the proposed changes would strengthen player protections and urged regulators to make limits opt-out rather than opt-in.
The letter was in response to proposed state regulation, published July 11, that would update problem gambling requirements covering casinos, online gambling, sports betting, video gaming terminals, and daily fantasy sports. The rules remain under review and have not been finalised.
The proposal would require online gambling operators to give players the option to set daily, weekly or monthly limits on deposits, spending and playing time when opening an account. Players would also be able to set wager limits and apply restrictions to interactive gaming and sports betting either separately or together.
Operators would have to show an hourly pop-up indicating how long a player has been active and how much they have wagered during a session. Players would need to actively dismiss the notification.
The NCPG wants these protections strengthened by requiring time and spending limits to be enabled when an account is opened. Players could then disable the limits, shifting the system from opt-in to opt-out.
The council did not recommend specific default spending amounts or playing-time thresholds, leaving the PGCB to determine how the system would operate.
The NCPG supports proposed advertising restrictions that would prohibit gambling marketing aimed primarily at underage audiences or groups considered more vulnerable to gambling harm.
The rules would also restrict excessive advertising and claims that gambling could address financial or personal problems. Promotions could not be called “free” or “risk-free” if customers have to risk money or meet other conditions.
However, the NCPG opposed a proposal to reduce the minimum size of gambling-help messages on billboards. Current rules require these messages to cover at least 5% of a billboard’s height or width, whichever is greater. The PGCB has proposed cutting the requirement to 2%.
The proposed rules would also require operators to send monthly messages covering self-imposed limits, responsible gambling tools, and problem gambling resources.
The notices could not contain advertisements or promotions, while players would have to be given an option to opt out of direct marketing.
The NCPG also asked Pennsylvania to allow the promotion of 1-800-MY-RESET, the new national problem gambling helpline number, where permitted under state law. Pennsylvania regulations currently use the legislatively mandated 1-800-GAMBLER number.
The public comment period closed on Aug. 10, with the Independent Regulatory Review Commission set to submit its comments by Sept. 9. The PGCB can still revise the proposed rules before submitting a final version, leaving room for changes based on the NCPG’s recommendations.