The United States Department of Defense, the most powerful military in the world, is housed in the Pentagon.

No foreign military could invade the United States, and many military experts believe that even if the entire world banded together to battle the United States, the DOD would still win because of its variety of nuclear weapons.

However, protecting US military members from the risks of gambling is one area where the US may not be sufficiently safeguarded.

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) examined how DOD locations handle employees who have problems with gambling in a report that Congress ordered in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. The DOD has to act quickly to assist service personnel, according to the independent, nonpartisan government organization that audits, assesses, and analyzes the federal government and promises to repay $338 for every dollar invested. 

Action Is Required 

The Defense Department added gambling problems to its substance abuse guidelines in January. The update described the actions that DOD and its military units should take to help prevent and address gambling-related issues.

The GAO discovered that the update's flaw was that it did not specify who would be in charge of carrying out such initiatives, such as staff training in gambling disorder prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment.

“Each military service has substance use policies and procedures that include gambling disorder. However, these policies do not fully reflect all the changes made to the DOD instruction because, according to officials, the services have not updated their guidance to meet the new requirements for gambling disorder,” the GAO report read.

"By defining all roles and responsibilities for gambling disorder prevention and treatment, and by ensuring that subsequent updates are made to service-specific guidance to meet the new requirements for gambling disorder, DOD can increase its ability to address issues related to gambling among service members,” the key findings continued.

The Defense Department received nine recommendations from the GAO, all of which focused on the DOD and its installations revising its gambling problem guidelines to make sure that designated personnel are prepared and trained to help those affected. The DOD, Army, Navy, and Air Force received the GAO's recommendations. 

Military Slots

According to Casino.org, the US military is still running slot machines on sites abroad. Real money can be wagered on the slots by service members. The US military's slots bring in over $100 million annually.

According to the DOD, the proceeds from the machines are "reinvested in Morale, Welfare, and Recreation quality of life programs, such as childcare and fitness programs." However, these gaming businesses "do not consistently include guidance with clear requirements for responsible gaming practices," according to the GAO assessment.

This includes not requiring responsible gaming signs and information about where to receive help for gambling disorders to be displayed around the machines.

"By issuing guidance with clear requirements for responsible gaming practices at overseas installations, the military services could help prevent or respond to problem gambling by users of their recreational gaming machines,” the GAO findings read.

According to the GAO report, military personnel are more likely than the general population to suffer from gambling issues since they are younger and more likely to take risks.