HB 5272 Connecticut House · 2025 Regular Session

AN ACT PROHIBITING CERTAIN GAMING-RELATED ADVERTISING, MARKETING AND PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES.

HB 5272 prohibits gaming companies from running advertisements, marketing, or promotional materials that target minors or use deceptive tactics. It specifically bans ads featuring people under 21 (or under 18 for keno/lottery/fantasy games), offers bonuses to encourage gaming, or makes misleading claims about winning chances. The law requires all ads to clearly state required age limits (18 or 21) and include a simple unsubscribe link for targeted messages. This directly affects licensed gaming operators, including online sports betting and casino businesses, by restricting how they can advertise their services. The bill aims to limit youth exposure to gambling promotions through concrete advertising restrictions.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 15, 2025 Last action Apr 8, 2025

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What changed between versions

Proposed Bill → Committee Bill · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended from a proposed version to a committee version, significantly expanding the scope of prohibited promotional practices. The original bill focused narrowly on prohibiting bonuses or credits to encourage gaming, while the committee version adds comprehensive advertising and marketing restrictions including age-targeting rules, content prohibitions, and specific requirements for digital communications.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a narrow prohibition on bonus/credit inducements to a comprehensive set of advertising and marketing restrictions covering age targeting, content requirements, and distribution methods.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the bill title from prohibiting 'promotional and marketing practices' to 'gaming-related advertising, marketing and promotional activities' to reflect the broader scope of restrictions.

Added specific age-targeting restrictions prohibiting advertisements from depicting individuals under 21 (or under 18 for certain games) and requiring clear age statements in all marketing materials.

Added prohibition on targeting self-excluded individuals through direct communication methods like email, phone calls, text messages, and social media.

Added requirement that direct advertisements sent to individuals must include a clear unsubscribe link.

Added multiple new restrictions on advertising content including prohibitions on misleading information, false claims about winning chances, and imagery that obscures material facts.

TECHNICAL

Changed the bill's legal structure from a general prohibition to a specific amendment of section 12-863(e) of the general statutes with detailed subsections.

Added co-sponsor information (Rep. Fishbein) and updated legislative committee number from LCO 1664 to LCO 4696.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

Joint Favorable

lower

Feb 20, 2025

Committee

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON General Law

lower

Feb 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

DRAFTED BY COMMITTEE

lower

Jan 15, 2025

Committee

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON General Law

lower

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors