Senators Katie Britt and Richard Blumenthal are introducing the Gaming Advertisement to Minors Enforcement Act, which would federally prohibit digital gambling ads targeting anyone under 18 on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. The push arrives amid a surge in sports betting and prediction markets that has raised concerns about young people being drawn into gambling through social media.

Critics say existing state-level bans and voluntary limits imposed by major platforms are inadequate, with $100,000 per advertisement as the potential penalty. The Federal Trade Commission would enforce the provisions under the bill, giving regulators far more teeth than the patchwork of state rules currently in place.

The legislation excludes ads shown during sporting events and results from minors actively searching for betting content. That carve-out narrows the scope to algorithmic targeting rather than a total prohibition. For platforms like TikTok and Instagram, the financial exposure from losing gambling-related ad revenue is real.