Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) announced Wednesday that Dr. Harry Levant, PHAI’s Director of Gambling Policy, testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, as part of a hearing entitled: “America’s High-Stakes Bet on Legalized Sports Gambling.”
PHAI Director of Gambling Policy Dr. Harry Levant’s testimony addressed continued concerns of problem gambling
The hearing examined sports betting growth since its legalization in 2018, and the risks it may be posing to young sports fans. Dr. Levant’s testimony underscored continued concerns with the rise of sports gambling and gambling addiction since the Supreme Court decision in Murphy v. NCAA.
Dr. Levant discussed the effects of sports gambling on gamblers and their families and called for public health-centered policies to combat the negative impacts of gambling legalization. His expertise comes from years of advocacy, counseling, and policy work addressing gambling-related harm.
In addition to his personal experience as a gambling addict in recovery, he is also a licensed gambling addiction therapist. He holds a Master’s in Professional Clinical Counseling from La Salle University, and a Doctorate in Law and Public Policy from Northeastern University.
“In aggressively marketing and promoting sports gambling through broadcast advertising, internet ads, social media, in-app notifications, and steering viewers toward certain gambling products during the broadcast of games, our relationship with sports has shifted to a relationship with gambling,” Dr. Levant said in his testimony.
“America’s High-Stakes Bet on Legalized Sports Gambling” hearing featured testimony from NCAA President Charlie Baker
Dr. Levant added in his testimony: “Simply put, prevention of harm is the best form of treatment. I consider myself duty bound to utilize the totality of my professional training and personal experience to help lead the movement for public health reform with the goal of preventing gambling addiction and gambling-related harm.”
Read Dr. Levant’s full testimony here.
“Harry’s testimony allowed Judiciary Committee members to understand the stark difference between what the industry calls a ‘responsible gaming model’ and a truly comprehensive public health approach addressing the harm caused by sports gambling,” said Mark Gottlieb, Executive Director of PHAI.
“As Harry pointed out, the public health approach focuses on the prevention of harm rather than waiting to treat the enormous societal cost after the harm occurs.”
Additionally, the hearing featured testimony from other high-profile figures, including NCAA President, Charlie Baker, former NFL player Johnson Bademosi, former New Jersey Assistant Attorney General David Rebuck, and National Council on Problem Gambling Executive Director Keith Whyte.
