Online sports betting has exploded into a multibillion-dollar industry in New York since it was legalized in 2022. State lawmakers are scrambling to keep up.
Last fall, a commission of public health experts said gambling had become a public health threat. The internet, they argued, enabled gambling to become a global pastime before governments were prepared to regulate its risks or ensure adequate treatment for those experiencing addiction. As New Yorkers have wagered billions on mobile apps like DraftKings and FanDuel in recent years, concerns about the “hidden addiction” have grown.
The state Senate passed a bill earlier this spring to establish the Problem Gambling Advisory Council, a body tasked with recommending “ways to make problem gambling prevention and treatment more accessible throughout the state.”
