{fsq:Research indicates higher rates of gambling problems occur among individuals wagering with a mobile device, enabled by the accessibility, privacy, and ease of smartphone use.}The office of New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said calls to the state’s problem gambling hotline increased 26% last year but said other state agencies had so far provided insufficient information for the office to offer additional insights into problem gambling in the Empire State.
While the state collected $727.4 million in tax revenue from mobile sports betting in NY during FY 2022-2023, DiNapoli said in a statement last week that “with the ease and 24/7 availability of mobile betting apps, problem gambling and addiction are poised to increase.
“More attention should be devoted to understanding the implications of mobile sports betting, particularly on young New Yorkers.”
More Info Needed From Agencies
In a 19-page report, the comptroller’s office acknowledged that it had “limited information” to work with in its analysis of problem gambling in New York.
DiNapoli’s office said it had requested “additional demographic information of participants from all mobile sports wagering operators” from the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) and the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS). The latter runs the gambling hotline, aka the New York State HOPEline (1-877-8-HOPENY).
The comptroller said calls to the hotline, which also handles substance abuse issues, increased 26% between 2021 and 2022. But calls began to level off in March 2023 and have been stable since.
“Research indicates higher rates of gambling problems occur among individuals wagering with a mobile device, enabled by the accessibility, privacy, and ease of smartphone use,” DiNapoli’s office said. It added that the NYSGC, in conjunction with OASAS, “is required to submit annual reports to the governor and the legislature on the impact of mobile sports betting on problem gambling.
“The first annual report, which was issued in April 2023 and updated in June 2023, contained limited data on the impact in the state and demographic information on individuals affected by the addiction. More information and better reporting are necessary to understand the effect of mobile sports betting, particularly on young people and the vulnerable.
Once supplied, the demographic information from the NYSGC and OASAS will be used in future annual reports.
DiNapoli, a Democrat, has been in office since 2007.
Fifty-Eight Incidents Reported
DiNapoli noted that through December 2022, the state has recorded 58 incidents of when a person under the legal gambling age had allegedly participated in mobile sports wagering (MSW) in New York.
According to the comptroller’s office, the underage gamblers participated through lawfully created accounts. The accounts have since been closed.
“State law requires MSW operators to prohibit minors from participating in any sports wagering,” DiNapoli said. “The report also provides annual demographic information by gender, race, and age on individuals voluntarily entering the state’s 'self-exclusion’ program when they recognize they should no longer participate in legal gaming.
“However, data provided in the report do not appear to split out MSW-related exclusions.”
Last February, the NYSGC adopted new rules for mobile sports betting operators, including bans on advertising, marketing, and promotions targeting underage persons and eliminating the words “risk-free” from all of the aforementioned.
