SENATOR BRYCE REEVES AND DELEGATE PAUL KRIZEK ANNOUNCE LEGISLATION TO CREATE PROBLEM GAMBLING TREATMENT AND SUPPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27— Today, Senator Bryce Reeves (R-Spotsylvania) and Delegate Paul Krizek (D-Mount Vernon) announced the introduction of bills to create a Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Advisory Committee within the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS). This proposed committee will enable collaboration among prevention and treatment providers and operators of legal gaming in the Commonwealth on efforts to reduce the adverse effects of problem gambling. The committee will be made up of stakeholders and chaired by the Problem Gambling Prevention Coordinator at DBHDS.

“As Virginia moves forward with the expansion of gaming, it’s important that we understand the ills that come with it,” said Senator Reeves. “We must focus our attention on Virginians who struggle with gambling addiction. Delegate Krizek and myself are excited to announce our bipartisan effort to ensure that our Commonwealth’s gaming regulations properly reflect the much-needed funds for problem identification, gambling addiction education, and treatment.”

Delegate Krizek said, “In just the last few years, we have considerably expanded gaming in the Commonwealth, with the recent opening of temporary casinos, sports betting, historical horse racing machines, online Lottery, and much more. As more gaming opportunities are legalized and expanded in Virginia, we must prioritize protecting Virginians from gambling addiction, especially young people.” Krizek noted, “we know from prevention research that people who begin gambling in their teens are at a higher risk of developing a problem with gambling and that one of the fastest growing groups to have gambling problems are young adults.”

According to the 2021 VA Youth Survey, over 21% of high school students say that they had gambled or placed a bet in the past year and 64% of young adults aged 18-25 have gambled in the past 30 days. In previous efforts to combat problem gambling, during the 2022 General Assembly Session, Senator Reeves and Delegate Krizek passed legislation (SB 366 and HB 571) that raised the age from 18 to 21 years old to play historical horse racing machines.

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