Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
By Maury Thompson, Special to The Chronicle
Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner says mobile sports betting has created a new dimension in problem gambling.
The Round Lake Democrat who chairs the Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee introduced legislation in November to establish a problem gambling research institute within the State University of New York system.
Its tasks would include researching issues unique to the online gaming industry.
Assemblywoman Woerner in a recent phone interview said the design of gaming systems may have features that encourage compulsive gambling, .
“How do they affect your brain, your willingness to chase that next bet?” she asks.
Another aspect is the instant, 24-hour access. “With mobile wagering platforms accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Assemblywoman Woerner wrote in the justification section of the legislation, “individuals are exposed to constant prompts to bet, effectively carrying a casino in their pocket.”
Mobile sports betting has brought huge new revenue to the state since New York entered the market in 2022 — more than $1 billion in gaming taxes 2024 alone.
“The state has a responsibility to take a leadership role in developing the evidence-base that can inform sound regulatory decisions, guide prevention and treatment strategies, and protect consumers,” Assemblywoman Woerner wrote.
The research institute would potentially be funded by state budget allocation and federal and private grants, determined once the institute is established.
The legislation does not establish any new fees or taxes. It only authorizes establishing the institute.
Assemblywoman Woerner said she is in discussion with a state Senator who potentially will introduce companion legislation to the Assembly bill A09239.
Contacted for comment, Assemblyman Matt Simpson, R-Lake George, said he supports Assemblywoman Woerner’s proposed legislation, but said it does not address the root cause of the state’s overreliance on gambling revenue.
“The problem in New York state is the addiction to revenue. I don’t see that changing,” said Assemblyman Simpson.
Assemblywoman Woerner has also introduced two other bills address problem gambling.
A09146 would require mobile sports gambling operators to make all problem gaming referrals and links from their websites to the state Office of of Addiction Services and Support, rather than to private counseling firms, many of them out of state and maybe having financial connections with gambling companies.
A09113 would require gambling operators to allow people to register electronically to exclude themselves from access to mobile sports betting.
At the federal level, U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, introduced legislation to limit television and on-line advertising by mobile sports betting operators.
Rep. Tonko, calling gambling addiction a public health risk, equated his bill with the nation’s ban on cigarette advertising on television. The legislation – HR2087 – had no cosponsors, as of Dec. 22.
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