[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6398562,"mediaKeyId","2090626-f587f7edf72d00762992f5b716e441dc","parentId",2090626,"title","Treatment providers and people in recovery tell Senate committee sports betting expansion could deepen addiction, youth exposure and family harms","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",4606000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2090626-f587f7edf72d00762992f5b716e441dc&start=4606&end=4606","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2090626-f587f7edf72d00762992f5b716e441dc/thumbnail_4606000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6398562/Minnesota/Treatment-providers-and-people-in-recovery-tell-Senate-committee-sports-betting-expansion-could-deepen-addiction-youth-exposure-and-family-harms","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6398562-d9f150e27f0d08380f460cee9f03dc30/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206045&Signature=UiwhDd4d4Wvxfj3ExsH8r3tPTDsUBta2emCVjQghv6itA~x7l0qZs9K0DGZ-LoFya39wSwqr9AfopfwzVarpdTrk9o2iRxk79jm6aGQj1wCKb0S9IBx6rdl6kfbhvStuolf6dOSv6bN0spMTIJRZHMPsLvrpyaUwCfrs5N6uZ~iCAbHZxEcTpnNDSzf2v7oJDrdL0xKiT1Ze65r8iL7FXCt9BmLD-0E7e48Jb0pp3pLjKiDHhkAk8eV2tg84JsPQDony5oCWg0MUTObuvOcf6NbMMDALqU2c4wQ3qtSq4nve1igMqQmdC8scXkgZ8w7vZn9pq7vEmJT0NNWeQ07aeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Minnesota Senate","date","2025-01-09T00:19:04.76Z","article","Treatment providers, recovery specialists and multiple people in recovery described to the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee on May 20 the human consequences they associate with expanded sports betting: family financial collapse, mental‑health crises, and increasing exposure of teens and young adults to betting products.

Susan Sheridan Tucker, director of the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling, told the committee the state needs both expanded prevention and more funding for problem‑gambling services if betting is legalized. “We fully support comprehensive consumer protections for all those who choose to gamble,” she said, and urged lawmakers not to rely solely on industry self‑regulation (citation: transcript).

Certified treatment provider Craig Johnson described the clinical gravity of gambling disorder: he cited frequent co‑occurring anxiety and depression among patients and said roughly 20% of people with severe gambling disorder have considered or attempted suicide; he called the condition a chronic disease requiring long‑term care (citation: transcript).

Several people in recovery provided first‑person testimony. One woman said online VIP programs and 24‑hour access led to rapid relapse and large losses after she had been stable; she reported withdrawing “over $200,000 of my retirement savings” and described an episode of automated, trance‑like depositing (citation: transcript). Another witness, who said she had taken a 30‑day inpatient program, described theft, legal exposure and family trauma before entering recovery.

The committee also heard academic evidence tying legalized betting to an increase in intimate partner violence (IPV) around emotionally salient sporting events. Emily Arneson of the University of Oregon said her team found a larger IPV effect after upset losses when sports betting was legal, and the effect was substantially larger with mobile betting — she estimated “a larger effect, approximately 10 percentage points when there is an upset loss and your home team is that team that experiences the upset loss” (citation: transcript).

Why this matters: lawmakers weighing a legalization bill must consider funding for prevention and treatment, youth education, and whether advertising restrictions or age‑gate enforcement will be sufficient to limit youth exposure.

No committee votes were taken during the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Committee on Finance - 01/08/25","oneSentenceSummary","Treatment providers, recovery advocates and people who described their own gambling disorder testified about addiction, family trauma and calls to hotlines. An academic presentation linked sports‑betting legalization and mobile access to increases in intimate partner violence after NFL upset losses.","taxTitle","Finance, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Minnesota","taxId",15805,"location","Minnesota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6398567,"Advocates and lawyers press lawmakers on ‘VIP host’ practices and industry marketing that they say amplify addiction",940,336000,1276000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2090626-f587f7edf72d00762992f5b716e441dc&start=336&end=1276","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2090626-f587f7edf72d00762992f5b716e441dc/thumbnail_336000.jpg","/articles/6398567/Minnesota/Advocates-and-lawyers-press-lawmakers-on-VIP-host-practices-and-industry-marketing-that-they-say-amplify-addiction","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6398567-7279c412462e17d79f42cd58af9add69/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206045&Signature=nY0oAgMjFmcsyO4tFV7iTTaiIxhYJKovm5fnIVX68wrR2gLQIv05GjwJ~BDlTJ8V7-D2CbO7050mFSMByJ-U7iHYZ8c14bM54XYzXZpW78xo9tVF5pa049StHPo6QzgbGJ42xHh6DRLb8VRhiNh4GAQOfch~R84iAi4J0Lk9pVqo1D-M4HB3VPtDK1F7E3HvNd5ldZJzXpHcs5PCX0nBt0BUDkMlMshALLM2~MCPTg~wRXVIvws810Ll~kkIhADz~J3~9W7~XOzp1rMUfYmx2LN~5~mk5LOMnJs3KfpCpKcNzBtOSlmX7-BmhhL9zbUbXNMwEit4HSl6GrAHpo3lFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Advocates, a litigation attorney and addiction specialists told the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee on May 20 that betting operators’ VIP programs, marketing and incentive structures actively encourage repeat play and worsen gambling harm.

Les Brunell, national director of Stop Predatory Gambling, described “the big con” in industry narratives and said operators blur entertainment and financial exchange to normalize losses. Brunell told the committee, “Predatory gambling is when powerful gambling corporations partner with state governments to use commercialized gambling… Gambling being run as a business for profit” (citation: transcript).

Attorney Matthew Litt outlined litigation and evidence he has collected alleging that VIP hosts and operator incentives target heavy‑deposit players and feed problem gambling. Litt said VIP hosts routinely use real‑time text messages and free‑bet credits to keep customers wagering; he described a case in which a VIP host provided “over $1,000,000 in FanDuel credits” to a single player (citation: transcript). He said operators’ “responsible gambling” scripts—asking a flagged customer “are you gambling within your means?”—are ineffective when used as a gatekeeping question rather than an intervention.

Professor Scott Baker and others testified about advertising and in‑game normalization. Baker described social and in‑game promotion that frames bets as part of the sporting experience and cited operator features — loyalty tiers, trophies and social feeds — that “normalize” betting behavior and encourage repeat, persistent deposits.

Witnesses also disputed industry claims that legalization reduces illegal offshore wagering. Brunell cited a Massachusetts Gambling Commission study he said showed illegal‑site use rose after legalization in that state; he characterized industry arguments that legalization would suppress illegal markets as a “phony narrative” (citation: transcript).

Why this matters: Minnesota lawmakers considering legalization must choose regulatory boundaries — including whether to permit mobile betting, what consumer protections to require, and what limits (if any) to place on operator loyalty and VIP programs. Several witnesses urged statutory limits or liability standards analogous to dram‑shop laws for alcohol, so operators might face legal responsibility for affirmative acts that exploit visibly addicted customers.

No formal votes occurred during the hearing.","Advocates, an attorney who litigated against operators, and other witnesses told the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee that operator marketing, VIP host programs and short‑term incentives contribute to problem gambling and limit legal accountability.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6398572,"Researchers say legalized sports betting tied to small but measurable declines in consumer financial health, larger where mobile betting allowed",701,2061000,2762000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2090626-f587f7edf72d00762992f5b716e441dc&start=2061&end=2762","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2090626-f587f7edf72d00762992f5b716e441dc/thumbnail_2061000.jpg","/articles/6398572/Minnesota/Researchers-say-legalized-sports-betting-tied-to-small-but-measurable-declines-in-consumer-financial-health-larger-where-mobile-betting-allowed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6398572-b62a237ac0c88b0a502220b118fa7eba/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206045&Signature=TLVGo9BbiD8n5BZKc48DPf7X5b8-BmgnFs762hOYAC5uYWmL0JEFAYkbVsVxzmXuQX41Dn3Ne9a0FmbWaQ6sH2gtwOUBUF1J8IbPxUUur8H-wPCIVcCOAyYobLlGcpaQBImCckF1sBljZiWeNhwv18i-pHToDSMHTVtbB44TcJXcaZn39qXhJ0QGMnHBCViESNZS924wq7cmlRlW2JGmqvWcwErpT4OXltZfrlKZCV0U4bj~cCjWUjscJVZ831URXSycAtZCDvdHrUX0j1Gq0a34c6aRyGa0ionpmAKnfkJS2oVFTxDLMguFpT9iiTq-G3gP6RJbeEpFuXvhSMipTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Three researchers testified to the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee on May 20 that the spread of legal sports betting is associated with measurable negative effects on household financial health, and that the effects are larger in states that allow online or mobile wagering.

Professor Brett Hollenbeck of UCLA told the committee he and co‑authors used a 2016–2023 sample drawn from the University of California Consumer Credit Panel and found “evidence that legal sports betting decreases consumer financial health across a range of different indicators with the much larger impacts coming from the ability to place bets online or through mobile apps” (citation: transcript). Hollenbeck said the average credit‑score decline across the full population in treated states was small (about one percent, roughly seven points) but that the effect was roughly three times larger in states allowing online betting than in states with only in‑person wagering.

Professor Scott Baker of Northwestern, who used anonymized bank and credit‑card transaction data, said his team observed persistent deposit behavior among bettors and declines in long‑term financial investment. “Every dollar of betting that we observe for individuals leads to about a dollar decline in net investment,” Baker said, summarizing his team’s analysis of several hundred thousand U.S. households (citation: transcript).

Both researchers presented multiple outcome measures. Hollenbeck reported an estimated 27% relative increase in bankruptcies in states that allowed online betting (from a low baseline) and an increase in debt referred to collection agencies; he estimated the effect could translate to roughly 30,000 additional annual bankruptcies across treated states and about $8 billion extra sent to collections. Baker reported increased overdrafts, credit‑card balances, and a falloff in contributions to investment accounts among people observed depositing to sportsbooks, and said the financial effects were larger for financially constrained households.

Both witnesses emphasized limits of their data. Hollenbeck noted his credit‑bureau sample does not identify which individuals actually placed bets and therefore reports average effects across the full state population; Baker’s transaction data directly observed deposits to betting sites but cannot see activity within an operator’s platform. Hollenbeck summarized: “These average effects are usually quite small, as we would expect given that we’re measuring across the full population and not for individuals who are gambling necessarily” (citation: transcript).

Committee members pressed for clarity on interpretation. Chair and members asked whether the reported effects were statewide averages or targeted to bettors; Hollenbeck reiterated the population‑average framing and Baker confirmed the larger effects were concentrated among those who actually bet. The researchers agreed the larger, consistent harms were associated with mobile/online access.

Why this matters: Minnesota is debating a bill to legalize and regulate sports betting. The testimony suggests regulators and lawmakers should consider differential risks posed by mobile betting and the potential need for consumer protections and funding for treatment and prevention if legalization proceeds.

The committee heard this material as part of a broader hearing that also included testimony from addiction specialists, treatment providers and people in recovery who described real‑world harms not fully captured in administrative data.

Votes at a glance: no formal votes were taken during the hearing.","Three academic studies presented to the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee found modest statewide declines in credit scores, increases in bankruptcies and debt sent to collections after sports betting legalization — with larger effects in states that allow online/mobile betting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Treatment providers and people in recovery tell Senate committee sports betting expansion could deepen addiction, youth exposure and family harms

Advocates and lawyers press lawmakers on ‘VIP host’ practices and industry marketing that they say amplify addiction

Researchers say legalized sports betting tied to small but measurable declines in consumer financial health, larger where mobile betting allowed