Amendment Seeks to Ban Slot Machines in US Military Bases
Initially banned in the 1950s, slot machines made a return to US military bases a few decades later and, according to a new amendment, might be banned again.
Amendment introduced to ban slots on US military bases.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Initially banned in the 1950s, slot machines made a return to US military bases a few decades later. Currently, there are around 3,000 slot machines operated by the US military and they generate more than $100 million in annual revenue.
The machines are primarily located in overseas bases in countries such as South Korea, Japan, and Germany. A new proposal seeks to eliminate these machines from military bases to address concerns about gambling addiction among service members. Representative Paul Tonko has introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to ban slot gambling on these bases.
Slot Revenue Used to Fund Recreational Activities
The Pentagon uses the revenue from these slot machines to fund various recreational activities for soldiers. Despite this, there are rising concerns about excessive gambling amongst soldiers. Studies have shown that military personnel are particularly vulnerable to developing gambling disorders.
Rep. Tonko, pointed out that gambling disorder is classified alongside alcohol, tobacco, and heroin addiction in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
Worryingly, studies show that military members are more likely to develop gambling disorders. I’ve been leading the charge in Congress to address the rise in problem gambling, and I’m hopeful my NDAA provision would lessen the risk of our service members developing a gambling addiction.
The proposed amendment aims to mitigate the increasing incidence of gambling addiction among military personnel. Tonko emphasized the need to support the men and women who protect the nation by addressing gambling-related issues.
Related: Concerns Grow over Problem Gambling and Suicide Risks among Veterans
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Debate on Amendment Expected Next Week
Debate on the NDAA amendments is expected in the House next week. However, the fate of Tonko’s proposal remains uncertain, given that over 1,000 amendments have been filed by lawmakers, with only a few hundred typically approved.
According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, about 56,000 individuals in the US military could be classified as having a gambling disorder. Nationally, problem gambling affects around 1% of the US population.
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