SAFE Bet Act

This bill establishes minimum federal standards for sports betting in the United States. It generally prohibits accepting sports wagers unless a state has an approved sports wagering program that meets specific standards, and it creates public health measures related to sports betting.

Sec. 2, Definitions: Defines key terms used in the bill, including 'sports wager,' 'sports wagering operator,' 'interactive sports wagering platform,' 'microbet,' 'proposition bet,' 'gambling disorder,' 'national self-exclusion list,' and 'reasonable lender standard.'

Title I, Minimum Federal Standards for Sports Betting: Sets a general prohibition on accepting sports wagers, with exceptions for states with approved programs and social gambling. The Attorney General approves state applications for 3-year renewable terms. State programs must meet standards including a state regulatory entity, restrictions on permissible wagers (e.g., no proposition bets on amateur or intercollegiate sports, no wagers on events that have started), contest integrity protections, and a ban on accepting wagers from individuals under 21, those on the national self-exclusion list, and athletes, coaches, officials, or employees of sports organizations.

Sec. 201, Annual Nationwide Survey on Online Sports Betting: Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct an annual nationwide survey on problem gambling and gambling-related harm from online sports betting, with results made public.

Sec. 202, National Self-Exclusion List: Requires the Secretary to maintain a national self-exclusion list allowing individuals to restrict themselves from placing sports wagers with any sports wagering operator in opt-in states, and a process to add or remove oneself.

Sec. 203, Surgeon General's Report: Requires the Surgeon General to submit a report to Congress on public health challenges associated with widespread sports betting within one year of enactment.

Sec. 204, Surveillance of Gambling Disorder: Directs the Secretary, through the CDC, to enhance infrastructure to track gambling addiction epidemiology and incorporate it into an integrated surveillance system, potentially including a National Gambling Addiction Surveillance System, with public access subject to privacy protections.

Sec. 301, State and Tribal Authority: Specifies that for the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, a sports wager via an interactive platform is deemed made at the server's physical location. It does not preempt states or tribes from enacting stricter laws or affect their taxation of sports betting.

Sec. 302, Severability: If any provision of the Act is held invalid, the remaining provisions continue to be enforced to the maximum extent practicable.