II 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3418 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to specifically include, in programs 

of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 

programs to research, prevent, and address the harmful consequences 

of pathological and other problem gambling, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 25, 2010 

Mr. MERKLEY (for himself, Mr. JOHANNS, Mr. CASEY, and Mr. BROWN of 

Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to 

the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to specifically include, in programs of the Substance Abuse and Mental 

Health Services Administration, programs to research, 

prevent, and address the harmful consequences of pathological and other problem gambling, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Comprehensive Prob5 lem Gambling Act of 2010’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress makes the following findings: 

3 (1) Problem gambling is a public health dis4 order characterized by increasing preoccupation with 

5 gambling, loss of control, restlessness or irritability 

6 when attempting to stop gambling, and continuation 

7 of the gambling behavior in spite of mounting, seri8 ous, negative consequences. 

9 (2) Over 6,000,000 adults met criteria for a 

10 gambling problem last year. 

11 (3) The estimated social cost to families and 

12 communities from bankruptcy, divorce, job loss, and 

13 criminal justice costs associated with problem gam14 bling was $6,700,000,000 last year. 

15 (4) Problem gambling is associated with higher 

16 incidences of bankruptcy, domestic abuse, and sui17 cide. 

18 (5) People who engage in problem gambling 

19 have high rates of co-occurring substance abuse and 

20 mental health disorders. 

21 (6) In response to current budget shortfalls, 

22 many States are considering enacting or have en23 acted legislation to expand legal gambling activities 

24 with the intent of raising State revenues. 


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1 (7) The Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

2 Services Administration is the lead Federal agency 

3 for substance abuse and mental health services. 

4 (8) There are no agencies or individuals in the 

5 Federal Government with formal responsibility for 

6 problem gambling. 

7 SEC. 3. INCLUSION OF AUTHORITY TO ADDRESS GAMBLING 

8 IN SAMHSA AUTHORITIES. 

9 Section 501(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 

10 U.S.C. 290aa(d)) is amended— 

11 (1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 

12 (17); 

13 (2) by striking the period at the end of para14 graph (18) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

15 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

16 ‘‘(19) establish and implement programs for the 

17 identification, prevention, and treatment of patholog18 ical and other problem gambling.’’. 

19 SEC. 4. PROGRAMS TO RESEARCH, PREVENT, AND ADDRESS 

20 PROBLEM GAMBLING. 

21 Title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 

22 290aa et seq.) is amended— 

23 (1) by redesignating part G (42 U.S.C. 290kk 

24 et seq.), relating to services provided through reli25 gious organizations and added by section 144 of the 


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1 Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (114 

2 Stat. 2763A–619), as enacted into law by section 

3 1(a)(7) of Public Law 106–554, as part J; 

4 (2) by redesignating sections 581 through 584 

5 of that part J as sections 596 through 596C, respec6 tively; and 

7 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

8 ‘‘PART K—PROGRAMS TO RESEARCH, PREVENT, 

9 AND ADDRESS PROBLEM GAMBLING 

10 ‘‘SEC. 597. PUBLIC AWARENESS. 

11 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 

12 the Administrator, shall carry out a national campaign to 

13 increase knowledge and raise awareness within the general 

14 public with respect to problem gambling issues. In car15 rying out the campaign, the Secretary shall carry out ac16 tivities that include augmenting and supporting existing 

17 (as of the date of the support) national campaigns and 

18 producing and placing public service announcements. 

19 ‘‘(b) VOLUNTARY DONATIONS.—In carrying out sub20 section (a), the Secretary may— 

21 ‘‘(1) coordinate the voluntary donation of, and 

22 administer, resources to assist in the implementation 

23 of new programs and the augmentation and support 

24 of existing national campaigns to provide national 


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1 strategies for dissemination of information, intended 

2 to address problem gambling, from— 

3 ‘‘(A) television, radio, motion pictures, 

4 cable communications, and the print media; 

5 ‘‘(B) the advertising industry; 

6 ‘‘(C) the business sector of the United 

7 States; and 

8 ‘‘(D) professional sports organizations and 

9 associations; and 

10 ‘‘(2) encourage media outlets throughout the 

11 country to provide information, aimed at preventing 

12 problem gambling, including public service an13 nouncements, documentary films, and advertise14 ments. 

15 ‘‘(c) FOCUS.—In carrying out subsection (a), the Sec16 retary shall target radio and television audiences of events 

17 including sporting and gambling events. 

18 ‘‘(d) EVALUATION.—In carrying out subsection (a), 

19 the Secretary shall evaluate the effectiveness of activities 

20 under this section. The Secretary shall submit a report 

21 to the President and Congress containing the results of 

22 the evaluation. 

23 ‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 

24 purpose of carrying out this section, there is authorized 


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1 to be appropriated $200,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 

2 through 2015. 

3 ‘‘SEC. 597A. RESEARCH. 

4 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 

5 the Administrator, shall establish and implement a na6 tional program of research on problem gambling. 

7 ‘‘(b) NATIONAL GAMBLING IMPACT STUDY COMMIS8 SION REPORT.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary 

9 shall consider the recommendations that appear in chapter 

10 8 of the June 18, 1999, report of the National Gambling 

11 Impact Study Commission. 

12 ‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 

13 purpose of carrying out this section, there is authorized 

14 to be appropriated $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

15 2011 through 2015. 

16 ‘‘SEC. 597B. PREVENTION AND TREATMENT. 

17 ‘‘(a) GRANTS.— 

18 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting 

19 through the Administrator, shall make grants to 

20 States, local and tribal governments, and nonprofit 

21 agencies to provide comprehensive services with re22 spect to treatment and prevention of problem gam23 bling issues and education about problem gambling 

24 issues. 


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1 ‘‘(2) APPLICATION FOR GRANT.—To be eligible 

2 to receive a grant under this subsection, an entity 

3 shall submit an application to the Secretary in such 

4 form, in such manner, and containing such agree5 ments, assurances, and information as the Secretary 

6 determines to be necessary to carry out this sub7 section. 

8 ‘‘(b) TREATMENT IMPROVEMENT PROTOCOL.—The 

9 Secretary shall develop a treatment improvement protocol 

10 specific to problem gambling. 

11 ‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 

12 purpose of carrying out this section, there is authorized 

13 to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

14 2011 through 2015.’’. 

Æ 


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