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A bipartisan Senate proposal would make major digital platforms responsible when targeted sports gambling ads reach minors online.
Good to Know
The Gaming Advertisement to Minors Enforcement Act of 2026 puts the pressure on ad delivery rather than only sportsbook marketing. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Katie Britt introduced the bill as federal lawmakers keep asking harder questions about online betting, prediction markets, offshore gaming, and youth access.
Large platforms would fall under the rule if they top 100 million unique monthly users or visitors and earn money from advertising. That group could include social media platforms, search engines, websites, mobile apps, online services, and digital ad networks.
The bill looks at how ads find users. A sports gambling ad could qualify as targeted if it reaches a minor through personal information, device identifiers, behavioral profiling, or predicted interests.
Enforcement would sit with the Federal Trade Commission. Violations would count as unfair or deceptive acts or practices under the Federal Trade Commission Act. After three enforcement actions or settlements, repeat offenders could face Department of Justice referral.
From there, penalties could become expensive fast. Platforms could face up to $100,000 for each targeted sports gambling ad shown to a minor. The rule would start one year after enactment.
Britt tied the bill to online safety and youth gambling risk:
“The rise in sports gambling among minors, particularly among young boys, is jarring. We know targeted advertising from gambling and prediction market websites can serve as the gateway to dangerous habits that too often become crippling addictions.”
She continued:
“Our legislation takes a critical step toward addressing this problem before it worsens. Our next generation is our greatest asset, and it’s our responsibility to take the necessary steps to protect them from online dangers whenever we can—which is exactly what this bill does.”
The senators cited research saying people who start gambling before 18 are 50% more likely to develop a gambling problem. They also pointed to a survey where 1 in 6 parents said they would not know if their child was gambling.
Online algorithms play a central role in the argument. Among adolescent boys who gamble, 45% reported seeing gambling-related content online, while 59% said gambling content appeared in social media algorithms without any active search.
Blumenthal framed sportsbook and prediction market marketing as a direct risk for younger users:
“Sportsbooks and prediction markets are treating young people like a gold rush, flooding the internet with advertisements and promotions to hook them on gambling when they’re young.
“High schoolers, even middle schoolers, are now gambling on their phones as never before, losing real money and creating life-altering addiction. The GAME Act would create a nationwide ban on targeted advertising of gambling to kids, backed with the force of punishing fines.”
The bill also fits into wider work from both senators. Blumenthal has already introduced prediction market legislation with age verification and advertising limits. Britt has pressed for more action on offshore gaming and youth gambling, including an October 2025 request for DOJ action and a January 2026 letter asking the CDC to study youth gambling growth.
Britt later framed the home as the front line:
“Years ago, parents could lock the door at night and assume that their children were safe. In today’s digital age, that is sadly no longer the case—dangers can enter our homes every single day through the palm of our children’s hands. Youth gambling addictions could be developing under parents’ roofs without them even knowing it, which is why it’s critical that we help parents combat this.”
She closed by calling for quick Senate support:
“I’m thankful to partner with Senator Blumenthal in this bipartisan effort, and I hope our colleagues will rally around this important issue so we can get this legislation to President Trump’s desk as soon as possible.”