Title: Gambling Addiction Prevention Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Gambling Addiction Prevention Act
This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to implement policies and programs on prevention, education, and treatment of gambling disorder. It requires integration of gambling disorder into existing mental health and substance use disorder programs.
If DOD provides gambling activities at a morale, welfare, and recreation facility, it must (1) provide educational materials and a list of resources to assist service members in identifying the risks of gambling and seeking help, and (2) implement measures that encourage behavior consistent with measures used by commercial and tribal gaming regulators.
Funding of measures under this bill shall come from gambling activity proceeds generated at DOD morale, welfare, and recreation facilities.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3658 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3658

To require policies and programs to prevent and treat gambling disorder 
 among members of the Armed Forces and their dependents, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 9, 2019

Mrs. Lee of Nevada introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require policies and programs to prevent and treat gambling disorder 
 among members of the Armed Forces and their dependents, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Gambling Addiction Prevention Act''.

SEC. 2. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES AND PROGRAMS TO 
              PREVENT AND TREAT GAMBLING DISORDER AMONG MEMBERS OF THE 
              ARMED FORCES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS.

    (a) Policies and Programs.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall develop and 
        implement policies and programs on prevention, education, and 
        treatment of gambling disorder and integrate gambling disorder 
        into existing mental health and substance use disorder 
        programs.
            (2) Consultation.--The Secretary shall develop the policies 
        and programs described in paragraph (1) in coordination with 
        the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Homeland 
        Security, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
    (b) Educational Materials and Promotion of Responsible Behavior.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out policies and programs 
        developed and implemented under subsection (a)(1), if the 
        Secretary hosts or provides gambling activities at a morale, 
        welfare, and recreation facility of the Department of Defense, 
        the Secretary shall, at that facility--
                    (A) provide--
                            (i) educational materials and a list of 
                        resources to assist and empower members of the 
                        Armed Forces to identify the risks of gambling; 
                        and
                            (ii) a list of resources and informational 
                        material on where such members can seek help if 
                        they develop gambling disorder; and
                    (B) implement measures that encourage responsible 
                behavior consistent with measures authorized and 
                required by commercial and tribal gaming regulators in 
                the United States.
            (2) Funding of measures.--The Secretary shall fund measures 
        implemented under paragraph (1)(B) through the use of proceeds 
        generated by gambling activities at morale, welfare, and 
        recreation facilities of the Department.
    (c) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees a report on efforts undertaken under this section.
    (d) Congressional Defense Committees Defined.--In this section, the 
term ``congressional defense committees'' has the meaning given that 
term in section 101 of title 10, United States Code.

SEC. 3. UPDATE OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE REGULATIONS, INSTRUCTIONS, AND 
              OTHER GUIDANCE TO INCLUDE GAMBLING DISORDER.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with 
the Secretaries of the military departments, shall update all 
regulations, instructions, and other guidance of the Department of 
Defense and the military departments with respect to behavioral health 
to explicitly include gambling disorder.
    (b) Military Departments Defined.--In this section, the term 
``military departments'' has the meaning given that term in section 
101(8) of title 10, United States Code.
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