Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
August 08, 2025
Senate Advances Military Gambling Addiction Research in Historic Move
TLDR
- The FY26 Senate Defense Appropriations Bill's inclusion of gambling addiction research under the PRMRP offers a strategic advantage in understanding and mitigating behavioral health risks among servicemembers.
- The bill allocates federal funding for gambling addiction research within the military, establishing a structured approach to data collection and evidence-based treatment development.
- Recognizing gambling addiction as a research priority under the PRMRP enhances support for servicemembers and veterans, fostering a healthier, more understanding military community.
- For the first time, gambling addiction research is eligible for DoD funding, marking a historic shift in addressing a hidden crisis among military populations.
Impact - Why it Matters
This development is crucial as it addresses a significant but often overlooked behavioral health issue affecting military personnel and veterans, who are disproportionately impacted by gambling addiction. By funding research into gambling disorder, the bill promises to pave the way for better understanding, early intervention, and evidence-based treatments, potentially saving lives and improving the well-being of those who have served the nation.
Summary
In a groundbreaking move, the Senate Appropriations Committee has included gambling addiction as a research topic under the Department of Defense's Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) in the FY26 Senate Defense Appropriations Bill. This decision, spearheaded by Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and supported by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and major gambling industry players like FanDuel and BetMGM, aims to address the disproportionate impact of gambling disorder on military personnel and veterans. Derek Longmeier, President of NCPG’s Board of Directors, highlighted the importance of this provision in enabling better understanding and treatment of gambling addiction within these communities.
Recent research from NCPG underscores the urgency of this issue, revealing that nearly 20 million American adults exhibit problematic gambling behaviors, with military members being twice as likely to face such challenges. The lack of federal research funding has previously hindered early intervention and evidence-based care, a gap this bill seeks to fill. Senator Luján emphasized the need for equitable support for gambling addiction, akin to that for PTSD and depression, marking a significant step towards recognizing and addressing the behavioral health needs of the military community.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by citybiz. Read the original source here, Senate Advances Military Gambling Addiction Research in Historic Move
