TLDR
- Senators Britt and Blumenthal introduced the GAME Act to ban digital platforms from targeting gambling ads at minors
- Violators could face fines up to $100,000 per ad shown to a minor, enforced by the FTC and DOJ
- A study found 59% of adolescent boys who gamble said gambling content appeared in their feeds without them searching for it
- The bill focuses on targeted digital advertising, not broad TV broadcasts or incidental exposure
- Research linked to the bill shows people who start gambling before 18 are more likely to develop gambling problems later
A new bipartisan Senate bill wants to stop gambling companies from targeting kids with online ads. The Gaming Advertisement to Minors Enforcement Act, or GAME Act, was introduced by Senators Katie Britt and Richard Blumenthal.
The bill would make it illegal for digital platforms to direct gambling advertisements toward minors. Companies that break the rules could face fines of up to $100,000 for every single ad shown to a minor.
The Federal Trade Commission would be in charge of enforcement. The Department of Justice could also go after repeat offenders.
How Gambling Ads Are Reaching Kids Online
Since the Supreme Court lifted the federal ban on sports betting in 2018, the industry has grown rapidly. Betting promotions now show up on TV broadcasts, podcasts, YouTube channels, and social media.
Lawmakers say children are being pulled into this environment before they are old enough to legally bet. Much of the concern centers on how algorithms work on social media and other platforms.
Studies referenced by the senators paint a troubling picture. One found that 45 percent of adolescent boys who gamble reported seeing gambling content online. Even more concerning, 59 percent said the content appeared in their feeds without them searching for it.
Another study found that people who start gambling before age 18 are more likely to develop gambling problems as adults. The same research suggested many parents do not know whether their children are gambling online.
The combination of algorithmic exposure, easy smartphone access, and limited parental awareness is at the center of the push for this bill.
The GAME Act does not try to ban all gambling ads from ever being seen by a minor. It specifically targets digital advertising practices where companies direct gambling content toward underage users.
A Growing Push in Washington Over Youth Gambling
This bill is part of a larger effort by lawmakers to treat youth gambling as a public health issue. Britt led a bipartisan push in late 2025 urging the DOJ to crack down on offshore gambling operators lacking safeguards for minors.
In early 2026, she organized another letter asking the CDC to study rising gambling rates among young Americans. The GAME Act builds on those earlier moves.
The line between sports entertainment and gambling promotion has become harder to separate online. Some betting companies sponsor podcasts, partner with athletes, and weave gambling language into sports content popular with teenagers.
Critics of the industry say kids are learning about gambling culture before they understand financial risk or addiction. Supporters of legalized betting argue that regulated companies are better than illegal offshore markets and point to existing age-verification rules.
Enforcement could be complicated. Digital ad systems rely on behavioral tracking and algorithmic modeling rather than hard age checks. Proving a company knowingly targeted minors may become a legal challenge.
The gambling industry also has deep ties to professional sports leagues, media companies, and ad businesses. Whether the GAME Act can pass remains unclear.
Still, the bipartisan support suggests growing agreement that gambling advertising has expanded faster than the protections meant to keep it away from children.
The bill stands as one of the clearest efforts yet to limit the reach of gambling ads before they reach underage users.
