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Tonko lacks support for bill to ban sports gambling ads

Apr 27, 2023 12:43 am

Maury Thompson reports in The Post-Star that Rep. Paul Tonko is still trying to ban online and television advertising of sports gambling, but is not getting much help. Tonko introduced legislation to prohibit online and television advertising of sports gambling on Feb. 9, but so far his HR 967 bill has no co-sponsors. And Tonko's legislation is being criticized because sports gambling advertising is protected by the First Amendment. Going it alone so far, Tonko says, “We’re very serious about this issue.... It’s operating in a mostly unregulated, Wild West environment.” While Tonko criticizes gambling advertising as "relentless" he says, “I make it clear that I am not against legalized sports gambling.... It’s the advertising that we’re focused on.” Tonko, who represents Albany County and the rest of the 20th Congressional District, is also only concerned about ads for sports gambling, but not other gambling, as his proposed legislation would not ban advertising for state lottery games. Read more about this story in The Post-Star.