US Congressman Paul D. Tonko has published a letter sent to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra requesting clarity on whether or not gambling addiction is covered for treatment and benefits under the Affordable Care Act.
In his letter, Tonko asks that the HHS makes a public announcement in relation to confirming that gambling addiction is considered a mental health and substance use disorder.
Tonko stated in his letter:
“It has come to my attention that constituents in my district, and people throughout the nation, are experiencing difficulties when seeking treatment for gambling addiction and gambling-related harm. This gap in treatment access must be addressed immediately, as gambling-related harms are some of the most destructive and far-reaching of any other addiction. Most notably, studies show that gambling addiction has the highest rate of attempted suicide among all addictions, with a striking one in five people struggling with gambling disorder attempting suicide.”
Tonko continued:
“As a known and recognized addiction, gambling disorder should be treated with the same importance and urgency as drug and alcohol disorders. I am requesting that the Department of Health and Human Services formally and publicly clarify that HHS recognizes gambling disorder is a mental health and substance use disorder, and as such, is required to be covered as an essential health benefit.”
In recent years, Tonko has called for congress to take steps to address the matter of problem gambling which is on the rise in the US.
According to the latest gambling statistics for the United States, between 1 and 2% of the adult population (2-4 million) will develop a gambling disorder at some point in their lives while only 10% of those with a gambling problem will seek help.
Last year, Tonko authored and introduced the Betting on our Future Act. The act addresses potentially harmful online sports betting advertisements by prohibiting online and electronic advertising of sportsbooks.
Tonko’s full letter can be found here.
An experienced iGaming commentator and analyst based in New York City - Jenny reports on regulation and gambling industry news and events.