Pennsylvania lawmakers seek limits on online gambling deposits and 'predatory' marketing practices
A pair of state representatives announced bipartisan legislation Wednesday to strengthen protections for Pennsylvanians who gamble online and address problem gaming as a public health crisis.
Rep. Tarik Khan, D-Philadelphia, and Jamie Flick, R-Lycoming, plan to introduce a bill to create the Pennsylvania Online Consumer Protection Act, which would establish limits on how often a person can make deposits into online gaming accounts; restrict “predatory marketing practices,” including push notifications or text messages solicitations; and bolster protections against advertising targeting minors.
The legislative package also includes bills that would prohibit the use of credit cards to fund online gambling accounts and stop gaming operators from sending advertisements, promotions, or other marketing materials to those who opt into the state’s self-exclusion program. The program allows Pennsylvanians to voluntarily ban themselves from casinos, internet gambling and video gaming terminals.
“Too many young people are being exposed to online gambling through constant advertising and unprecedented access from their phones and devices,” Flick in a statement.
“These bills are about putting reasonable safeguards in place, promoting responsible gaming and helping ensure that young people and families are protected from gambling-related harm.”
The bills banning the use of credit cards in online gambling and advertising to those who have enrolled in self-exclusion are House companion bills to legislation that state Sen. Wayne Fontana, D-Brookline, introduced in December 2024 and that has been sitting in committee since February 2025.
Fontana said Khan called him about a month ago and signaled lawmakers wanted to introduce companion bills, which Fontana sees as a sign that momentum is picking up in Harrisburg to address problem gambling - especially because Democrats control the House while Republicans hold the majority in the Senate.
“With [Khan] doing it over there, they certainly can fast-track it, but then it’ll get to the Senate and sit possibly so we need more senators to sign on,” he said.
“They have to be seeing it in their districts. This isn’t a Democrat or Republican issue. This is just the right thing to do.”
Sports betting and online gambling was legalized nearly a decade ago and has continued to grow in popularity over the years.
Nearly $7 billion was bet on online sports wagering between July 2025 and April 2026, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
By comparison, more than $8.2 billion was spent on online sports betting during fiscal year 2024-2025, up from the $7.6 billion spent during the previous fiscal year.
While the push to prohibit credit cards from use in online betting has grown in the Capitol, some online gaming giants have already barred users from paying with credit cards in the state. Most sites allow the use of debit cards, PayPal or direct bank transfers instead.
In April, Bet365 announced it would no longer accept credit cards in Pennsylvania to fund user accounts, joining industry leaders DraftKings, Fanduel, and BetMGM in phasing out credit card deposits.
Khan and Flick said in a news release that, while many people gamble responsibly, problem gaming is increasingly being recognized as a public health issue due to the harm it can cause to financial security, family stability and mental health.
“As a nurse practitioner, I believe we should address problem gambling the same way we address other public health challenges: with prevention, education, treatment and commonsense safeguards. Our bipartisan bill package will help protect young people, individuals and families while supporting responsible gaming,” Khan said.
A report published in January by Penn State’s Criminal Justice Research Center found that up to 30% of Pennsylvanians gambled online in 2025, up from 20% the previous year, and the uptick has coincided with an increase in calls to the 1-800-GAMBLER hotline, half of which were related to problematic online gambling.
Fontana said that while he believes prohibiting credit card use in online gaming is important, he considers it more imperative to stop gambling operators from reaching out to those who opt to self-exclude - whether it be by sending them ads or offering them credits to entice them to return to the platform.
“People tell these stories of how they get addicted and try to get off and can’t get off and they’re just exposed to the advertising,” he said. “It reminds you of tobacco and cigarettes.”
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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 11:16 PM.