Assembly Passes Legislative Package to Address Problem Gambling

Assembly Passes Legislative Package to Address Problem Gambling

Speaker Carl Heastie and Racing and Wagering Committee Chair Carrie Woerner today announced that the Assembly has passed a package of legislation to help address problem gambling in New York and ensure that casinos and mobile betting platforms operate responsibly and implement critical protections to safeguard New Yorkers.

"Problem gambling tears families apart and brings unnecessary harm to our communities," said Speaker Heastie. "The Assembly Majority is committed to putting New Yorkers first and ensure that casinos and mobile sports betting platforms that operate in our state and contribute to our economy do so responsibly. This package takes critical steps to protect our residents from problem gambling and the harm it brings them and their loved ones."

"The instances of problem gambling are rapidly increasing, and the harm experienced by problem gambling often extends well beyond individuals to include family and friends," said Assemblymember Carrie Woerner. "Therefore, we are working toward solutions to protect the health and welfare of New York residents and communities by ensuring that mobile sports betting platforms, operating in our state, reduce risk and identify problem gambling when it occurs. It is also important to ensure individuals struggling with problem gambling have fewer barriers when voluntarily self-excluding themselves and taking positive steps toward change."

This package includes legislation (A.9113-B, Woerner) that directs the New York State Gaming Commission to develop regulations to allow individuals to submit voluntary self-exclusion request forms electronically. Additional legislation establishes "know your customer" requirements for mobile sports betting licensees to strengthen identity verification requirements and account security and establish a risk-assessment framework for bettors (A.9584-A, Woerner).

The Assembly also passed a legislative resolution (K.1093, Woerner) to memorialize the month of March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month in New York State.

Legislation included in the package (A.382, Vanel) would impose the same advertising restrictions on mobile sports betting as are currently imposed on licensed casinos. It would also require casinos and mobile sports betting licensees to display the gambling hotline number for the entire duration of a video advertisement.

"Putting families first means taking action to confront problem gambling, especially regarding how casinos and mobile sports betting advertise to our residents," said Assemblymember Clyde Vanel. "This bill ensures that casinos and mobile sportsbooks advertise responsibility in New York and prioritizes a life-saving resource that keeps our residents healthy."

Also included in this package is legislation (A.8518, Steck) that requires commercial health insurance to provide outpatient coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of problem gambling.

"New York has seen rapid growth in gambling, particularly with the expansion of mobile sports wagering, and with that growth comes a responsibility to protect the public and support those who may be struggling," said Assemblymember Phil Steck. "My bill requiring health insurance plans to cover outpatient treatment for problem gambling is an important step because too many people who want help cannot access care when it is not consistently covered by insurance. As a result, many are forced to pay out of pocket or go without treatment altogether. At the same time, we cannot focus only on treatment after the fact. We also need strong safeguards in place to help prevent gambling addiction before it starts."

Also included is legislation (A.10329, Kassay) that requires mobile sports betting licensees to electronically send all bettors an activity statement on a monthly basis. The activity statement would include statistics from that month about total deposits, total withdrawals, win and loss records, etc.

"Equipping New Yorkers with key data surrounding gaming activity and behavior bolsters informed participation and is critical in reducing problem gambling in our communities," said Assemblymember Rebecca Kassay. "This bill modernizes consumer protections to ensure that mobile sports betting platforms operate responsibly in our state while prioritizing the well-being of our residents."

Lastly, the legislative package includes legislation (A.10538, Bores) that establishes an independent task force to study proposition or "prop" bets and their impact on market integrity, economic impacts to the industry and consumers, revenue to the state attributable to prop bets, etc.

"Unfair practices in mobile sports betting harms New Yorkers and proposition bets are uniquely vulnerable to abuse and manipulation," said Assemblymember Alex Bores. "Establishing this task force is an important first step in understanding the impacts and risks associated with prop bets to ensure that mobile sports betting platforms operate fairly and responsibly in our state."