Senate committee approves provision to research gambling addiction under PRMRP

Support for the provision was led by Senator Ben Ray Luján, as well as by more than two dozen state affiliates of the NCPG and operators such as FanDuel, BetMGM and MGM Resorts.

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is celebrating a provision in the FY26 Senate Defense Appropriations Bill that would make gambling addiction an eligible research topic under the Department of Defense’s Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) for the first time and was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on August 4. 

“The Committee’s action will finally give researchers, local VA clinicians and military health officials the ability to better understand and address gambling addiction among those who serve,” NCPG Board of Directors President Derek Longmeier said. 

“We’re grateful to our allies in Congress, industry partners and the public health community for making this progress possible.”

Support for the provision was led by Senator Ben Ray Luján, as well as by more than two dozen state affiliates of the NCPG and operators such as FanDuel, BetMGM and MGM Resorts. The decision was seen as a “historic step” in addressing gambling disorder as a behavioral health condition impacting active duty servicemembers and Veterans

According to recent research conducted by the NCPG, nearly 20m US adults experienced at least one problematic gambling behavior “many times” in the past year.

Good to know: The NCPG awarded $192,000 in agility grant funding to five organizations as part of the spring 2025 cycle on May 21, representing the seventh funding round since the program first launched during 2022

“Servicemembers and Veterans facing gambling addiction deserve the same level of support and understanding we’ve worked to build around PTSD, depression and other behavioral health challenges,” Senator Luján said. 

“This provision is a critical step toward recognizing the realities our military community faces and ensuring the federal government invests in the basic, foundational research needed to support recovery.”

If passed, the FY26 Defense Appropriations Bill would establish the first-ever federally recognized avenue for research into gambling addiction for the military, now proceeding to the full Senate for consideration.

Kirk Geller

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