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U.S. Senate Classifies Gambling Addiction as Worthy of Federal Research

Sports Writer

Publish Date: Aug 10, 2025

Fact checked by: Sara Jane Gamelli

For the first time, lawmakers have made it possible for federal dollars to be spent on gambling addiction research in regards to military service members. This after the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee greenlit a portion of the 2026 Fiscal Year Senate Defense Appropriations Bill.

“The Committee’s action will finally give researchers, local VA clinicians, and military health officials the ability to better understand and address gambling addiction among those who serve,” said Derek Longmeier, president of NCPG’s Board of Directors.

U.S. capitol building

Washington took a step that could change the game for servicemembers and veterans battling gambling addiction. The Senate Appropriations Committee could have changed history by approving gambling addiction as an eligible research topic under the Department of Defense’s Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program.

Congress also took a swing at the issue in 2019: requiring annual screenings for gambling disorder as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. But the absence of federal research dollars have resulted in little to no progress on the issue.

With close to 40 states having legalized online sports betting or casinos, and with sweepstakes casinos on the market in several jurisdictions, the issue of problem gambling has been pulled to the forefront.

For decades, gambling disorder has lingered in the shadows of military behavioral health care. The decision by the U.S. Senate puts it firmly on the radar, opening the door for groundbreaking studies into a condition that affects active duty personnel and veterans at alarmingly high rates.

This push was led by Senator Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico and backed by a coalition that might surprise many: more than two dozen state affiliates of the National Council on Problem Gambling, plus gambling industry heavyweights like FanDuel, BetMGM, and MGM Resorts International.

“We’re grateful to our allies in Congress, industry partners, and the public health community for making this progress possible,” Longmeier said.

The numbers on problem gambling are sobering. NCPG research shows nearly 20 million American adults have repeatedly engaged in problematic gambling behavior since early 2024.

According to preliminary reports, U.S. military members are hit even harder: they’re twice as likely as civilians to experience gambling problems, and nearly 40 percent of veterans who seek treatment say they’ve attempted suicide.

Sen. Luján says the new funding is about fairness and recognition. “Servicemembers and Veterans facing gambling addiction deserve the same level of support and understanding we’ve worked to build around PTSD, depression, and other behavioral health challenges,” he said. “This provision is a critical step toward recognizing the realities our military community faces and ensuring the federal government invests in the basic, foundational research needed to support recovery.”

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