A Pennsylvania lawmaker is proposing legislation that would prevent online gambling and sports wagering from entering Pennsylvania classrooms via “geospatial technologies. ”
The legislation, proposed by State Rep. Jason Ortitay (R-45), aims to protect students from the problems that can come from gambling by preventing them from accessing gambling while at school through a “geofence” around school property.
Online gambling has become popular in states across the country, including in Pennsylvania, where interactive gaming and sports wagering are authorized under a licensed and regulated framework.
However, that framework applies to those legally allowed to gamble, not Pennsylvania’s youth. According to Ortitay, students can sit in a classroom or stand on a playground and access online gambling and sports betting via smartphone or computer.
