Washington, D.C. (December 18, 2024) – Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) is pleased to announce that Dr. Harry Levant, PHAI’s Director of Gambling Policy, delivered compelling testimony yesterday before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, as part of a hearing entitled: “America’s High-Stakes Bet on Legalized Sports Gambling.” The hearing examined sports betting growth since its legalization in 2018, and the risks it may be posing, particularly to young sports fans.
Dr. Levant’s testimony highlighted continued concerns with the rise of sports gambling and gambling addiction since the Supreme Court decision in Murphy v. NCAA. He spoke in detail on the effect of sports gambling on gamblers and their families and called for public health-centered policies to combat the negative impacts of gambling legalization.
Dr. Levant’s 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.
He added: “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.”
“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.”
The hearing also featured testimony from notable 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.
In December 2023, PHAI and its Center for Public Health Litigation filed a class action suit against DraftKings in Massachusetts that garnered nationwide headlines. In August, a judge in Massachusetts denied DraftKings motion to dismiss, allowing the litigation to move forward.
Read Dr. Levant’s full testimony below or download here