Harry Levant

05/30/2026

I support Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha’s decision to challenge Kalshi and Polymarket over sports-related “event contracts” that function as gambling products.

Calling something a “prediction market” does not change the realities of what these platforms are designed to do or the harm they can cause.

Gambling-related harm and public health cannot continue to be treated as secondary concerns while these products rapidly expand.

05/29/2026

In Pennsylvania, calls to the problem gambling helpline have more than doubled in just five years.

Numbers like this tell the story of people reaching their breaking point, and families searching for answers.

We can not ignore what these trends are telling us. They are signaling the need for meaningful public health safeguards and stronger consumer protections.

Source: Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania

05/27/2026

Last week, I sat before the United States Senate to discuss the growing public health concerns surrounding modern sports betting.

Children are being exposed to relentless gambling advertising long before the risk-reward system of the human brain is fully developed.

The normalization of gambling among children and adolescents should concern every parent, educator, policymaker, and public health leader.

Meaningful safeguards and public health reform are long overdue.

05/18/2026

The rapid growth of sports betting is changing more than the way people gamble. It is changing the speed and scale at which gambling addiction impacts people’s lives.

As sports betting continues to expand across the United States, the conversation cannot focus only on growth and revenue. It must also address the human cost and the urgent need for meaningful public health safeguards.

05/15/2026

On May 20th, the U.S. Senate will hold a hearing examining the rapid expansion of sports betting in the United States.

The hearing comes at a time when online gambling is becoming faster, more immersive, and increasingly linked to gambling addiction, mental health struggles, and widespread gambling-related harm.

The rapid growth of modern gambling products has created a crisis that demands stronger consumer protections and meaningful oversight.

Join us live on May 20th at 10:00 AM ET as the United States Senate examines the future of sports betting, consumer protection, and gambling-related harm:
https://www.commerce.senate.gov/meetings/no-sure-bets-protecting-sports-integrity-in-america/

Official Website of Dr. Harry Levant | Internationally certified gambling counselor | Gambling Industry Public health reform | Treatment for gambling addiction

05/14/2026

Twelve years ago, gambling addiction brought me to the edge of a cliff.

Today, my purpose is helping others see that cliff before they fall.

Thank you to WHYY’s The Connection for the opportunity to have an honest conversation about gambling addiction, recovery, public health, and the urgent need for meaningful reform.

Recovery is possible. Prevention is possible. But we must be willing to confront the harm modern online gambling is causing to individuals, families, and communities.

If you are struggling with thoughts of self-harm, call or text 988. You are not alone.

05/12/2026

“One bet every two seconds.”

An Erie man told the Erie Times-News he placed more than 11,000 bets during a 17-hour online gambling binge.

No gambling platform should allow this level of continuous betting.

As online gambling becomes faster, more immersive, and constantly available through mobile devices, the public health risks continue to grow.

This is what happens when a known addictive product operates without meaningful public health safeguards.

Learn more about the public health approach to gambling reform: harrylevant.com/safe-bet-act

05/11/2026

PHAI continues to advance a public health challenge to the design of modern sportsbook platforms.

A new lawsuit filed in Massachusetts alleges that sportsbooks use behavioral tracking, targeted incentives, and personalized engagement systems to keep users betting continuously.

As gambling products become faster, more immersive, and increasingly personalized, public health harm continues to grow.

This case reflects a broader shift in how gambling addiction is being understood. The conversation is moving beyond individual behavior and toward the role product design and industry practices play in driving harm.

Read more about the landmark lawsuit: https://phai.org/phai-files-landmark-lawsuit-against-draftkings-nfl-geniussports/