WASHINGTON — Legislators and regulators who began the headlong expansion of legalized gambling in the United States are now moving in spots nationwide to tighten oversight of the gambling industry, particularly as it relates to advertising that may reach underage bettors.
The crackdown extends to bettors themselves, as at least three states have responded to a jump in abusive behavior by moving to bar gamblers if they threaten or harass athletes after lost bets.
This more aggressive approach toward online betting is evident in nations around the world, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, where officials in recent months have enacted or proposed new online betting restrictions, in some cases banning celebrity sponsorships and nearly all advertising.
Nationally, 33 states and the District of Columbia offer legal sports betting, with Kentucky, Maine, Nebraska and Florida up next. That means more than half of Americans live in places where…
This article was written by Eric Lipton and Kevin Draper and originally published on www.nytimes.com