While I appreciate the leadership of Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representative Andreas Salinas, the GRIT Act is misguided legislation and more cover for the gambling industry and its partners. The GRIT Act is part of the ethically flawed “responsible gaming” model.
Consider the facts:
* Gambling Disorder is an addiction on the same level as heroin, opioids, tobacco, and alcohol (DSM-5, 2013).
* The Affiordable Care Act (2010) mandates that insurance companies provide full coverage for all addiction and substance disorder treatment.
Congress and the Department of Health and Human Services must enforce existing federal law and guarantee the full range of mental health treatment for people and families struggling with gambling disorder and gambling-related harm.
The money allocated in GRIT should be dedicated to independent research designed to bring public health reform to the gambling industry.
A guarantee of full insurance coverage for treatment of gambling disorder and funding public health reform to PREVENT harm will soon be a major focus in Congress.
The ethically flawed RG model will be replaced with public health reform and regulation specifically designed to prevent gambling related harm and provide full access to gambling disorder and mental health treatment.
Today, Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Rep. Andrea Salinas introduced the Gambling Addiction Recovery, Investment, and Treatment (GRIT) Act, establishing the first federal funding dedicated to addressing gambling addiction in the United States.
Full press release: http://bit.ly/3HgC9Y0