In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association classified gambling disorder as an addiction on the same level as heroin, opioids, tobacco, alcohol, and cocaine. Recently, the World Health Organization recognized that gambling disorder and gambling-related harm constitute a significant global public health challenge.
In 2018, the United States Supreme Court decision in Murphy v NCAA, 584 U.S. (2018) struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (“PASPA”) clearing the way for states to legalize online and casino sports gambling. This has resulted in an unprecedented situation where government is a full business partner with private industry promoting a known addictive product.
The results are astounding. In 2022, people in America lost more than $60 billion dollars to the gambling industry. In March 2023, in Pennsylvania alone, people lost more than half a billion dollars in a single month.. Sports, entertainment, and media are consumed with gambling advertising, and this raises concerns about public health policy and the First Amendment. From Washington DC to State capitals across the country, elected officials and lawyers are just beginning to comprehend the legal and public health impact connected to the unprecedented expansion of the gambling industry.
This seminar will closely examine the need to bring public health regulation, reform, and litigation to the gambling industry and its establishment partners. A panel of experts will discuss the unprecedented expansion of the gambling industry, the potential ethical failures of the “responsible gaming” model, parallels with tobacco litigation and reform, the momentum to regulate gambling advertising and promotion, and the public health risks associated with gambling disorder and gambling related harm.
All attendees will receive the course materials as a digital book.
Recorded in May 2023.