The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee will review the SAFE Bet Act on December 17, a bipartisan bill introduced by Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) that aims to establish federal regulations for the sports betting industry.

The proposed legislation includes several key restrictions:

• Ban on sports betting ads between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. and during live sports
• Prohibition of terms like "risk-free bets" and deposit bonuses
• Restrictions on AI-tailored promotions
• Implementation of affordability checks
• Limit of five deposits per 24 hours
• Ban on credit card use for online betting

The bill's sponsors argue that federal intervention is necessary due to the rapid expansion of legalized sports betting across 39 states and Washington, D.C., citing concerns about consumer protection and societal impact.

However, the American Gaming Association opposes the legislation, arguing that states have already implemented adequate consumer safeguards. Chris Cylke, AGA's senior VP of government relations, called the federal prohibitions "a slap in the face to state legislatures and gaming regulators."

The context is particularly significant given the 2018 Supreme Court decision that overturned PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act), which had previously limited single-game sports betting to Nevada. While SCOTUS ruled that Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, it cannot force states to comply with uneven restrictions.

The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), will examine these issues under the hearing title "America's High-Stakes Bet on Legalized Sports Gambling."

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