Ex-Congressman Kennedy Addresses Gambling Harm at SBC Summit Americas

Patrick J. Kennedy, a former Congressman who served for 16 years in the House of Representatives, became one of the country’s leading advocates for mental health and addiction reform. He will take part in a major player protection discussion at SBC Summit Americas.

The betting and gaming industry event, taking place at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale June 9-11, will bring together stakeholders from across North and Latin America for three days of networking, product discovery, and high-level education.

Building a public health response to gaming harm

Kennedy’s panel, “Building a Public Health Response to Gaming Harm,” will take place on June 10 at 11:30 a.m. on the Leaders Stage. The session forms part of SBC’s recent partnership with the Better Gambling Forum (BGF), a global initiative focused on advancing evidence-based approaches to reducing gambling-related harm, with both organizations working together to promote a more practical and scalable approach to player protection across North America and beyond.

Kennedy will bring his experience as a mental health and addiction advocate to the panel, joining a cross-sector group of experts whose combined experience spans public health, policymaking, psychiatry, neuroscience, and industry responsibility. Together, the panel will examine gambling-related harm from multiple perspectives and explore how collaboration across sectors can help strengthen player protection efforts.

Kennedy served for 16 years in the House of Representatives, where he became one of the country’s leading advocates for mental health and addiction reform. He is best known as the lead sponsor of the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, signed into law in 2008, which expanded access to mental health and addiction treatment for millions of Americans by requiring insurers to provide coverage on par with physical healthcare.

Since leaving Congress, Kennedy has continued to shape national conversations around mental health, addiction, and public health policy through initiatives including The Kennedy Forum, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing mental health equity and systemic reform. He has also co-founded organizations including Psych Hub and One Mind, authored bestselling books on mental health and addiction, and remains a prominent voice advocating for greater awareness, early intervention, and cross-sector collaboration in addressing behavioural health challenges.

Against this backdrop, the panel will examine statistics showing that almost half of U.S. adults gambled last year and consider the impact that easy access to betting may be having on younger audiences. The discussion will also explore the importance of early intervention, public awareness, research, and cross-sector collaboration in building a more effective response to gambling-related harm.

Expert insights on an important topic

Alongside Kennedy’s advocacy and policy background, the panel will feature clinical and mental health expertise from Dr. Nathan Carroll (National Medical Director at InSite Health; Member, American Psychiatric Association’s Council on Digital Health, Innovation, and Technology) and Dr. Eraka Bath (Professor of Psychiatry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA), who will bring perspectives on addiction, psychiatry, and youth mental health.

Additionally, Toby Ewing (Stanford School of Medicine; Brain Capital Advisor; and former Executive Director, California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission) will contribute insights shaped by his work in neuroscience and public mental health strategy, while Paul Pellizzari (Vice President – Global Social Responsibility, Hard Rock International) will provide the industry perspective, focusing on the role operators can play in strengthening responsible gaming and player protection efforts.

Kevin Winters (CEO, Almond Digital Health), a company helping people build safer and healthier gambling habits, will moderate the panel.

Player protection front and center at SBC Summit Americas

The session will contribute to a broader safer gambling agenda at SBC Summit Americas, which includes a dedicated Player Protection Symposium designed to encourage collaboration and knowledge-sharing among leading experts from across the Americas.

Featured speakers include Tom Sage (Executive Vice President, Sports Betting Regulators Association), Christopher Hebert (Chairman, Louisiana Gaming Control Board), Michael Soll (President, International Center for Responsible Gaming), Phil Sherwood (Senior Director of Responsible Gaming, PrizePicks), and Dr. Jennifer Shatley (Executive Director, Responsible Online Gaming Association), among others.

Attendees and industry stakeholders looking to stay informed on the latest developments in responsible gambling can also follow SBC’s Player Protection Hub, a centralized destination for educational content, expert insight, and the most relevant news shaping the player protection landscape worldwide.

“Player protection cannot be approached from a single perspective,” said SBC Founder and CEO Rasmus Sojmark. “Bringing together voices from public health, policymaking, healthcare, and the gaming industry is exactly the type of collaboration needed to move the conversation forward, and Patrick Kennedy’s participation adds an important dimension to that discussion.”

Get your tickets to SBC Summit Americas. Operators and affiliates can apply for a complimentary pass.