II 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2841 

To require policies and programs to research, prevent, and address the harmful consequences of gambling disorder among members of the Armed 

Forces and their dependents, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 15, 2018 

Ms. WARREN (for herself and Mr. DAINES) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To require policies and programs to research, prevent, and 

address the harmful consequences of gambling disorder 

among members of the Armed Forces and their dependents, 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 ‘‘Gambling Addiction 

5 Prevention Act’’. 

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) According to the National Council on Prob8 lem Gambling, it is estimated that as many as 

9 56,000 active duty members of the Armed Forces 

10 meet criteria for gambling disorder. 

11 (3) However, according to the Department of 

12 Defense, only about 120 military personnel were di13 agnosed with gambling disorder or were seen for 

14 problem gambling each year between fiscal year 

15 2011 and fiscal year 2015. 

16 (4) According to a 2017 report by the Govern17 ment Accountability Office— 

18 (A) the Department of Defense operates 

19 more than 3,100 slot machines at military in20 stallations overseas that are available to mem21 bers of the Armed Forces and their families; 

22 (B) those slot machines generate approxi23 mately $100,000,000 in revenue for the Depart24 ment, which is used for further recreational ac25 tivities for members of the Armed Forces; and 


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1 (C) the Department and the Coast Guard 

2 do not systematically screen for gambling dis3 order. 

4 SEC. 3. INCLUSION OF GAMBLING DISORDER IN HEALTH 

5 ASSESSMENTS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 

6 FORCES AND RELATED RESEARCH EFFORTS. 

7 (a) ANNUAL PERIODIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT.—The 

8 Secretary of Defense shall incorporate medical screening 

9 questions specific to gambling disorder into the Annual 

10 Periodic Health Assessment conducted by the Department 

11 of Defense for members of the Armed Forces. 

12 (b) RESEARCH EFFORTS.—The Secretary shall incor13 porate into ongoing research efforts of the Department 

14 questions on gambling disorder, as appropriate, including 

15 by restoring such questions into the Health Related Be16 haviors Survey of Active Duty Military Personnel and the 

17 Health Related Behaviors Survey of Reserve Component 

18 Personnel. 

19 (c) REPORT.—Not later than two years after the date 

20 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 

21 to the congressional defense committees a report on efforts 

22 undertaken pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) and the 

23 findings of the assessments and surveys described in those 

24 subsections with respect to the prevalence of gambling dis25 order among members of the Armed Forces. 


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1 (d) CONGRESSIONAL DEFENSE COMMITTEES DE2 FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘congressional defense 

3 committees’’ has the meaning given that term in section 

4 101 of title 10, United States Code. 

5 SEC. 4. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF POLI6 CIES AND PROGRAMS TO PREVENT AND 

7 TREAT GAMBLING DISORDER AMONG MEM8 BERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR DE9 PENDENTS. 

10 (a) POLICIES AND PROGRAMS.— 

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 

12 shall develop and implement policies and programs 

13 on prevention, education, and treatment of gambling 

14 disorder and integrate gambling disorder into exist15 ing mental health and substance use disorder pro16 grams. 

17 (2) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall de18 velop the policies and programs described in para19 graph (1) in coordination with the Interagency Task 

20 Force on Military and Veterans Mental Health. 

21 (b) EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND PROMOTION OF

22 RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out policies and 

24 programs developed and implemented under sub25 section (a)(1), if the Secretary hosts or provides 


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1 gambling activities at a morale, welfare, and recre2 ation facility of the Department of Defense, the Sec3 retary shall, at that facility— 

4 (A) provide educational materials that 

5 identify the risks of gambling and a list of re6 sources and informational material on where 

7 members of the Armed Forces can seek help if 

8 they develop gambling disorder; and 

9 (B) implement measures that incentivize 

10 responsible behavior, including access, avail11 ability, and patronage restrictions comparable 

12 to other high-risk leisure activities. 

13 (2) FUNDING OF MEASURES.—The Secretary 

14 shall fund measures described in paragraph (1)(B) 

15 through the use of proceeds generated by gambling 

16 activities at morale, welfare, and recreation facilities 

17 of the Department. 

18 (c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 

19 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 

20 to the congressional defense committees a report on efforts 

21 undertaken under this section. 

22 (d) CONGRESSIONAL DEFENSE COMMITTEES DE23 FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘congressional defense 


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1 committees’’ has the meaning given that term in section 

2 101 of title 10, United States Code. 

Æ 


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