Nevada Rep. Dina Titus is intensifying efforts to reverse a controversial tax change impacting gamblers throughout the United States. On Wednesday, August 27, the co-chair of the Congressional Gaming Caucus introduced that she has filed her Fair Accounting for Income Realized from Betting Earnings Taxation Act (FAIR BET Act) as an modification to the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a legislative technique that considerably boosts the proposal’s possibilities of passage.
Strategy to Secure Passage
The FAIR BET Act, initially launched to the House Committee on Ways and Means on July 7, 2025, seeks to undo a key provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which handed on July 4. The OBBBA decreased the allowable deduction for playing losses from 100% to 90%, beginning January 1, 2026. This change sparked backlash from each the gaming trade and lawmakers, because it means gamers who incur web losses may nonetheless owe taxes on cash they by no means truly earned.
H.R. 4304, the one-line invoice launched by Titus, proposes to amend the OBBBA “by striking ‘90 percent’ and inserting ‘100 percent.’” By attaching the proposal to the NDAA — broadly considered a “must-pass” piece of laws — Titus is pursuing a legislative shortcut that would safe the deduction’s restoration with out requiring the standalone invoice to navigate the complete Congressional course of.
“The bill mostly relates to defense matters, but does contain other legislative priorities that members submit,” Titus’ workplace stated in a press release. “We do not know when the bill will be heard by the Rules Committee or voted on by the full house, but expect it to be in the coming weeks.”
As reported by InGame, Titus additionally emphasised the urgency of the measure on social media platform X, writing, “I strongly encourage the Republicans to make this amendment in order when it goes before the House Rules Committee upon our return to Congress next month.”
Broad Support for the FAIR BET Act
The FAIR BET Act has gained bipartisan assist since its introduction, with ten co-sponsors already signed on. During a July subject listening to in Las Vegas hosted by the Ways and Means Committee, GOP Chair Rep. Jason Smith acknowledged that each events have been actively working to “address” the problem earlier than the revised deduction takes impact initially of subsequent yr. Smith, together with different Republican lawmakers, has publicly criticized the availability and, in some circumstances, admitted that they have been unaware the change had been included in the unique laws.
The trade has additionally rallied behind the invoice. At the Las Vegas listening to, Titus famous assist from the Nevada Resorts Association, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, and quite a few tribal entities. The American Gaming Association (AGA) echoed these issues in a letter to the committee, arguing that the tax change “creates an unfair precedent by taxing phantom income and uniquely penalizing a legal, heavily regulated activity.”
Executives from the most important operators in Las Vegas have additionally been lobbying lawmakers. MGM Resorts International CEO Bill Hornbuckle confirmed that he, together with Caesars Entertainment CEOTom Reeg and Wynn Resorts CEOCraig Billings, has met with Congressional leaders to focus on the implications of the OBBBA provision. Hornbuckle described the conferences as important for speaking the monetary pressure the tax change may place on each the gaming trade and particular person gamers, highlighting the urgency of restoring the complete deduction.
The FAIR BET Act will not be the one proposal looking for to reverse the OBBBA’s loss deduction change. In late July, Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr, a Republican, filed the Winnings and Gains Expense Restoration Act (WAGER Act), whereas Nevada SenatorCatherine Cortez Masto launched the Facilitating Unbiased Loss Limitations to Help Our Unique Service Economy Act (FULL HOUSE Act) earlier in the month. These parallel initiatives underscore the broad recognition of the issue and the bipartisan momentum to rectify it earlier than the adjustments are applied.
By leveraging the NDAA’s must-pass standing, Titus hopes to safe swift approval of her modification when Congress reconvenes in September. Until then, the FAIR BET Act stays pending earlier than the Ways and Means Committee, with stakeholders throughout the gaming trade watching intently because the legislative course of unfolds.
