US Lawmakers Propose Ban on AI Use in Sports Betting Ads

^{Pictured: Congressman Paul Tonko}

Using artificial intelligence (AI) to track betting habits and serve up personalized promos could soon be off the table for US bookmakers. According to Gambling News, New York Congressman Paul Tonko is gearing up to introduce the SAFE Bet Act — a federal bill taking aim at the sports betting industry’s advertising tactics.

This federal bill aims to protect vulnerable players while preserving Americans’ freedom to place legal bets. Tonko argues it’s crucial to stop bookies from leveraging AI tech to monitor betting patterns and preferences. He believes this practice allows bookmakers to bombard individual bettors with personalized promos and ads, creating an uncontrolled “Wild West” advertising environment.

Beyond the AI crackdown, the SAFE Bet Act also proposes banning phrases like “bonus bets,” “free bets,” and “no sweat” wagers in bookmaker marketing campaigns.

The bill further seeks to prohibit sportsbook ads during live broadcasts of sporting events between 8 AM and 10 PM. Additionally, it would cap the number of deposits into a betting account at five within any 24-hour window.

Meanwhile, in Tonko’s home state of New York, lawmakers are weighing the legalization of online poker. A bill introduced by State Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. aims to establish a regulated online poker market, with plans to issue up to 10 operator licenses at a hefty $10 million price tag each.