I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2334 

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 treat the harmful consequences of 

pathological and other problem gambling, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 23, 2011 

Mr. MORAN (for himself, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, and Mr. 

WOLF) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Energy and Commerce 

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 treat 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 2011’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 


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1 (1) Problem gambling is a public health dis2 order 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) Over 6,000,000 adults met criteria for a 

8 gambling problem last year. 

9 (3) The estimated social cost to families and 

10 communities from bankruptcy, divorce, job loss, and 

11 criminal justice costs associated with problem gam12 bling was $6,700,000,000 last year. 

13 (4) Problem gambling is associated with higher 

14 incidences of bankruptcy, domestic abuse, and sui15 cide. 

16 (5) People who engage in problem gambling 

17 have high rates of co-occurring substance abuse and 

18 mental health disorders. 

19 (6) In response to current budget shortfalls, 

20 many States are considering enacting or have en21 acted legislation to expand legal gambling activities 

22 with the intent of raising State revenues. 

23 (7) The Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

24 Services Administration is the lead Federal agency 

25 for substance abuse and mental health services. 


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

2 Federal Government with formal responsibility for 

3 problem gambling. 

4 SEC. 3. INCLUSION OF AUTHORITY TO TREAT GAMBLING IN 

5 SAMHSA AUTHORITIES. 

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

7 U.S.C. 290aa(d)) is amended— 

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

9 (17); 

10 (2) by striking the period at the end of para11 graph (18) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

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

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

14 prevention, treatment, and research of pathological 

15 and other problem gambling.’’. 

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

17 PROBLEM GAMBLING. 

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

19 290aa et seq.) is amended— 

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

21 et seq.), relating to services provided through reli22 gious organizations and added by section 144 of the 

23 Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (114 

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

25 1(a)(7) of Public Law 106–554, as part J; 


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1 (2) by redesignating sections 581 through 584 

2 of that part J as sections 596 through 596C, respec3 tively; and 

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

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

6 AND ADDRESS PROBLEM GAMBLING 

7 ‘‘SEC. 597. PUBLIC AWARENESS. 

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

9 the Administrator, shall carry out a national campaign to 

10 increase knowledge and raise awareness within the general 

11 public with respect to problem gambling issues. In car12 rying out the campaign, the Secretary shall carry out ac13 tivities that include augmenting and supporting existing 

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

15 producing and placing public service announcements. 

16 ‘‘(b) VOLUNTARY DONATIONS.—In carrying out sub17 section (a), the Secretary may— 

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

19 administer, resources to assist in the implementation 

20 of new programs and the augmentation and support 

21 of existing national campaigns to provide national 

22 strategies for dissemination of information, intended 

23 to treat problem gambling, from— 

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

25 cable communications, and the print media; 


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1 ‘‘(B) the advertising industry; 

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

3 States; and 

4 ‘‘(D) professional sports organizations and 

5 associations; and 

6 ‘‘(2) encourage media outlets throughout the 

7 country to provide information, aimed at preventing 

8 problem gambling, including public service an9 nouncements, documentary films, and advertise10 ments. 

11 ‘‘(c) FOCUS.—In carrying out subsection (a), the Sec12 retary shall target radio and television audiences of events 

13 including sporting and gambling events. 

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

15 the Secretary shall evaluate the effectiveness of activities 

16 under this section. The Secretary shall submit a report 

17 to the President and Congress containing the results of 

18 the evaluation. 

19 ‘‘SEC. 597A. RESEARCH. 

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

21 the Administrator, shall establish and implement a na22 tional program of research on problem gambling. 

23 ‘‘(b) NATIONAL GAMBLING IMPACT STUDY COMMIS24 SION REPORT.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary 

25 shall consider the recommendations that appear in chapter 


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1 8 of the June 18, 1999, report of the National Gambling 

2 Impact Study Commission. 

3 ‘‘SEC. 597B. TREATMENT. 

4 ‘‘The Secretary shall develop a treatment improve5 ment protocol specific to problem gambling. 

6 ‘‘SEC. 597C. PREVENTION. 

7 ‘‘The Secretary, acting through the Administrator, 

8 shall integrate problem gambling into existing alcohol, to9 bacco and other drug prevention programs, where prac10 tical.’’. 

Æ 


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