West Virginia’s Speaker of the House, Roger Hanshaw, has introduced a bill that would require all state’s gaming operators, including online operators, to share data with academics researching responsible gambling, the Associated Press reported February 14.
The Speaker was joined by Rep. Shawn Fluharty in introducing House Bill 5668, the Responsible Gaming and Research Act (RGRA). Fluharty, who is president of the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS), hopes other states will use this bill as a model.
Several other states, including Minnesota and Maryland, are considering similar proposals.
West Virginia University is singled out as the institution that operators would be obligated to provide data to on a monthly basis. All data would be anonymized.
The legislature has a short session, and lawmakers have about a week to consider the bill.
West Virginia has nine online casinos including BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars, DraftKings, and DraftKings. It also offers daily fantasy sports. It will soon launch online poker where players can compete against players in other states.
