Bill would require lottery billboards to display problem-gambling hotline number

Senate Labor and Business Committee Vice Chair Bonham opened a public hearing Feb. 20 on Senate Bill 914, introduced by Sen. Sarah Gelser-Blouin, which would require future billboard advertising for lottery games to include the phone number for a problem-gambling hotline.

Committee staff summarized the measure as adding a required line to qualifying lottery advertising: “Need help with problem gambling? Call or text” followed by the hotline number. The billmaker said the measure would apply to future billboards and not require removal of existing signs.

Sen. Sarah Gelser-Blouin, who carried the bill, said the measure “does 1 thing” — it adds the hotline number to lottery billboards. She told the committee the idea arose from conversations about past marketing rules and is intended to be a narrow consumer-protection change. Gelser-Blouin said she would check the drafting office’s language to make clear existing signs would not need to be removed and suggested a clear effective date could address that concern.

Senator Pham noted the statute already specifies what must appear on lottery marketing, and committee staff agreed the bill would add to current statutory billboard requirements, which today include disclaimers that lottery play is “for entertainment only” and not an investment. Gelser-Blouin said she had concerns about adding a QR code because it could encourage drivers to pick up phones while driving; she said a phone number is a safer option.

No formal action was taken at the hearing. Committee staff and the bill sponsor said they would follow up with drafting language and confirm whether the text should explicitly state that existing billboards are unaffected.