Rep. Dina Titus is taking another swing at ending the federal “handle tax” on sports bets.
Titus, D-Nev., and Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Gaming Caucus, reintroduced legislation to repeal the 0.25 percent excise tax placed on all legal sports bets first enacted in 1951 to counter illegal gambling, which she said is no longer relevant.
Titus and Reschenthaler have attempted to repeal the handle tax in 2019, 2021 and 2023, recognizing the economic importance of sports betting since its legalization in 2018.
She pointed out that illegal bookmakers don’t pay the tax, giving them an advantage over legal sportsbooks in 38 states and Washington D.C., including Nevada and Pennsylvania.
