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<\/div>\nThe Senate has moved forward with plans to address the issue of problem gambling<\/a> in both active servicemembers and Veterans of the United States military.<\/p>\n A key provision of the Senate Defense Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2026 was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee.<\/p>\n \u201cServicemembers and Veterans facing gambling addiction deserve the same level of support and understanding we\u2019ve worked to build around PTSD, depression, and other behavioral health challenges.\u201d – Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n, Senator (D-NM)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM) led on the bill with support from industry leaders such as FanDuel, BetMGM, and MGM Resorts International. Two dozen state affiliates also represented the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG).<\/p>\n The decision to support this topic marks the first time that gambling has become a legitimate topic of the Department of Defense\u2019s Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP).<\/p>\n A recent study<\/a> conducted by the NCPG stated that across the past year, 20 million American adults had experienced problematic gambling behavior. The individuals who were most identified were male and\/or under the age of 35, who were gambling weekly, seeing gambling as a \u201cgood way\u201d to make money, and had both participated in fantasy and online sports betting.<\/p>\n Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n said on the bill that \u201cServicemembers and Veterans facing gambling addiction deserve the same level of support and understanding we\u2019ve worked to build around PTSD, depression, and other behavioral health challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n In fiscal year 2019, the National Defense Authorization Act placed a mandate for gambling disorder screenings for military personnel, but struggled according to the NPCG, stating that this initial approach required further \u201cfederal research funding, military and local VA clinicians lack the data and tools necessary to facilitate early intervention or provide evidence-based care.\u201d<\/p>\n A sorrowful statistic discovered by the NCPG and the work of Senator Luj\u00e1n discovered that 40% of Veterans who have had or may have experienced a form of gambling addiction have also attempted to commit suicide. Military personnel were also highlighted to be two times more at risk than civilians when it comes to problem gambling.<\/p>\n The Senate<\/a> will now consider the Senate Defense Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2026 and will decide on the inclusion of the measures that Senator Luj\u00e1n, the NPCG, and leading lights in the gambling industry have supported.<\/p>\n \u201cThis provision is a critical step toward recognizing the realities our military community faces and ensuring the federal government invests in the basic, foundational research needed to support recovery,\u201d concluded Senator Luj\u00e1n.<\/p>\n Featured image: Pexels<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The post Senate takes steps to address problem gambling in the US military<\/a> appeared first on ReadWrite<\/a>.<\/p>\nSenate takes steps to address military problem gambling<\/span><\/h2>\n
Veterans and active personnel at risk of gambling pitfalls<\/span><\/h2>\n