Advocacy
Providing Opportunities for Individuals In Need of Treatment & Support (POINTS) Act
The POINTS Act (H.R.7875) would set aside one-third of the federal sports excise tax revenue to fund programs focused on the prevention, screening, intervention, and treatment of problem gambling.
The POINTS Act
The POINTS Act Would:
- Allocate one-third of the existing federal excise tax on wagers to support individuals at risk for or living with a gambling addiction.
- Provide an estimated $100 million per year for programs focused on the prevention, screening, intervention, and treatment of problem gambling without new taxes.
- Establish a grant program within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to support States, Tribes, and Tribal Organizations in establishing or expanding problem gambling programs.
- Amend the Public Health Service Act to include gambling addiction alongside other substance use and mental health disorders.
- Authorize funding through 2032, while requiring periodic reports submitted to Congress to track the program’s progress and spending.
Show Your Support for the POINTS Act
NCPG is gathering a list of organizations and individuals that support the Providing Opportunities for Individuals In Need of Treatment & Support (POINTS) Act. Publicly show your support for the POINTS Act by adding your name.
Why the POINTS Act Matters
- The national annual social cost of problem gambling is $14 billion.
- NCPG estimates 9 million American adults suffer from gambling addiction.
- 8% of American adults, almost 20 million people, reported experiencing at least one indicator of problematic gambling behavior “many times” in the past year.
- There are currently no federal funds designated for problem gambling treatment or research, unlike the billions in funding for alcohol, tobacco, and drug addiction.
- The federal government levies an excise tax of 0.25% on all money wagered on sports in the United States, which is deposited in the general fund.
Ask Your Elected Officials to Support the POINTS Act
Contact your state’s leaders and ask them to support the Providing Opportunities for Individuals In Need of Treatment & Support (POINTS) Act.
Despite the prevalence of gambling addiction in the United States, no federal agency is tasked with addressing it, and no federal funds are designated for treatment or research.
