Title: Sports Wagering Tax Revamp Proposed for ICE
Sports Betting Revenue Direction Bill Proposes Funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
Last Updated: June 14, 2025, 03:07h.
Author: Todd Shriber, @etfgodfather
Topic: Financial, Gaming Business, Mergers and Acquisitions
Mike Rulli, a Republican representative from Ohio, announced the "Giving Aliens Migrants Back through Lawful Excise Redistribution" (GAMBLER) Act on June 14, 2025. This bill seeks to shift the direction of the federal sports betting tax from the Treasury's general fund into a dedicated Border Enforcement Trust Fund. The primary recipient of this reallocated money would be Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Following multi-city protests against ICE, Rulli introduced the bill, expressing concerns about the resources wasted on housing undocumented immigrants and the ensuing security risks[1]. He claimed that working-class Americans are bearing the brunt of illegal immigration while blue states and sanctuary cities shelter millions of unauthorized refugees[2].
Rulli's bill aims to create an accountable funding mechanism for border security and law enforcement[1]. NumbersUSA, an immigration reform organization, has already shown support for the initiative[2]. With the sports betting excise tax collecting approximately $300 million annually, the GAMBLER Act could significantly augment ICE's budget while avoiding the necessity of raising taxes[1].
Despite its potential impact, the proposed increase in ICE's funding is just a fraction of their estimated 2025 budget of $11 billion. Furthermore, some projections indicate the budget might quadruple by 2028[1]. Rulli maintains that the act is a prudent approach aimed at bolstering border security and ensuring the safety of American citizens[1].
The GAMBLER Act faces competition from a bipartisan-supported bill targeting the repeal of the federal sports betting tax. This bill, introduced earlier in 2025 by Dina Titus (D-NV) and Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), has been discussed multiple times, though the Congressional Gaming Caucus—which neither Rulli nor any Ohio representatives belong to—has not yet officially commented on the matter[2].
Enrichment Data:
- The GAMBLER Act, also known as the "Giving Alien Migrants Back through Lawful Excise Redistribution Act," intends to modify the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish the Border Enforcement Trust Fund for ICE[1].
- In light of protests against ICE, the bill was introduced to allocate the $300 million generated yearly by the federal excise tax on gambling, primarily sports betting, to bolster border security, enforcement, and related operations[1][2].
- The current proposal's fate is uncertain, with the bill facing significant challenges, especially in the Senate, where it would require a 60-vote supermajority to pass, and Republicans currently control 53 seats[1].
- Rep. Rulli's rationale behind the GAMBLER Act emphasizes accountability, law, and order, while critics assert that it infringes upon the status of immigrants and may be unpopular among gaming industry representatives[1][2].
Sports betting tax revenue could potentially be diverted from the general fund to a dedicated Border Enforcement Trust Fund through the proposed GAMBLER Act. The bill, introduced by Ohio representative Mike Rulli, has the intention of bolstering ICE's budget and addressing concerns about illegal immigration.
On the other hand, political tension arises with the simultaneous bipartisan-supported bill targeting the repeal of the federal sports betting tax. The Congressional Gaming Caucus, which does not include Rulli or any Ohio representatives, has yet to officially comment on the matter.
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