DoD Receives Funding for Research on Gambling Addiction in the Military
Summary
The Defense Appropriations Act allocates funding to the US Department of Defense’s Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP), providing $370 million overall to the PRMRP, with gambling addiction named as an approved area of research. The move represents the first time federal research funding will explicitly support studies into gambling-related harm among active-duty service members and their families. Advocates including the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and other organisations pushed for the change, while the Government Accountability Office has previously urged stronger DoD action on the issue.
Key Points
- The Defense Appropriations Act directs funding to the PRMRP, with $370 million allocated to the programme.
- The bill also designates gambling addiction as an approved non-defence research area under a $180 million non-defence allocation.
- This is the first instance of federal research funding explicitly available for gambling addiction studies affecting service members and their families.
- The House passed the bill by a 217–214 vote after earlier Senate approval.
- Advocacy from groups such as the NCPG, led by figures like Cole Wogoman, helped secure the provision.
- The Government Accountability Office recommended the DoD strengthen protections after finding 185 active-duty members had a gambling-related diagnosis in FY2024.
- Private organisations, for example the Kindbridge Research Institute, have begun programmes to address gambling-related harm in military communities.
Context and Relevance
Gambling opportunities in the US continue to expand and diversify, and military personnel may face heightened exposure and vulnerability. Federal funding signals a shift towards treating gambling addiction as a public-health issue within military populations, enabling evidence-based research, prevention efforts and targeted support services tailored to service members and veterans.
Why should I read this?
Quick version: the US government has finally put money where the paperwork is. If you care about veteran and service-member welfare, gambling-related harm now has a real shot at proper research and solutions — so this could change how support, screening and policy develop over the next few years. Worth a skim if you work in health, military support or gambling policy.