II 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1439 

To require the Secretary of Defense to include gambling disorder in health 

assessments for members of the Armed Forces and related research 

efforts of the Department of Defense. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 26, 2017 

Ms. WARREN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Defense to include gambling 

disorder in health assessments for members of the Armed 

Forces and related research efforts of the Department 

of Defense. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Preventing and Treat5 ing Gambling Disorder in the Military Act of 2017’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 


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1 (1) Gambling disorder is a public health con2 cern characterized by increasing preoccupation with 

3 gambling, loss of control, restlessness, or irritability 

4 when attempting to stop gambling, and continuation 

5 of the gambling behavior in spite of mounting seri6 ous, negative consequences. 

7 (2) Gambling disorder is an addiction similar to 

8 substance-use disorders, such as those associated 

9 with alcohol and drugs. 

10 (3) Gambling disorder is associated with a high11 er risk of suicide attempts, substance-use disorders, 

12 and other mental-health conditions, in addition to 

13 being associated with financial and legal problems. 

14 (4) According to the National Council on Prob15 lem Gambling, it is estimated that as many as 

16 56,000 active duty members of the Armed Forces 

17 meet criteria for gambling disorder. 

18 (5) However, according to the Department of 

19 Defense, only about 120 military personnel were di20 agnosed with gambling disorder or were seen for 

21 problem gambling each year between fiscal year 

22 2011 and fiscal year 2015. 

23 (6) Less than 10 percent of people with gam24 bling problems seek help due to shame, stigma, and 


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1 misunderstanding of the nature of gambling dis2 order. 

3 (7) In addition to factors specified in paragraph 

4 (6), military personnel might not seek help for gam5 bling problems due to lack of services specific to 

6 problem gambling and fear of jeopardizing their ca7 reer or security clearance. 

8 (8) According to a 2017 report by the Govern9 ment Accountability Office— 

10 (A) the Department of Defense operates 

11 more than 3,100 slot machines at military in12 stallations overseas that are available to mem13 bers of the Armed Forces and their families; 

14 (B) those slot machines generate approxi15 mately $100,000,000 in revenue for the Depart16 ment, which is used for further recreational ac17 tivities for members of the Armed Forces; 

18 (C) the Department and the Coast Guard 

19 do not systematically screen for gambling dis20 order; and 

21 (D) the Department and the Coast Guard 

22 do not address gambling disorder in a similar 

23 manner to other addictive disorders, such as al24 cohol-related disorders. 


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1 SEC. 3. INCLUSION OF GAMBLING DISORDER IN HEALTH 

2 ASSESSMENTS AND RELATED RESEARCH EF3 FORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 

4 (a) ANNUAL PERIODIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT.—The 

5 Secretary of Defense shall incorporate medical screening 

6 questions specific to gambling disorder into the Annual 

7 Periodic Health Assessment (DD Form 3024) conducted 

8 by the Department of Defense for members of the Armed 

9 Forces. 

10 (b) RESEARCH EFFORTS.—The Secretary shall incor11 porate into ongoing research efforts of the Department 

12 questions on gambling disorder, as appropriate, including 

13 by restoring such questions into the Health Related Be14 haviors Survey of Active Duty Military Personnel. 

Æ 


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