News writer
Mobile sports betting continues to generate massive revenue for New York. Lawmakers are now looking more closely at how modern gambling, which includes lottery games and digital wagering, may be reshaping player behavior and increasing addiction risks.
Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, a Democrat from Round Lake and chair of the Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee, has introduced legislation to establish a problem gambling research institute within the State University of New York system. The institute would examine how online gambling platforms, from sports betting apps to digital lottery games, may encourage compulsive play.
Examining how digital gambling is designed
Woerner said the proposed institute would focus on the design of gambling systems themselves, rather than solely on individual behavior.
“How do they affect your brain, your willingness to chase that next bet?” Woerner said in a recent phone interview.
While sports betting has drawn the most attention, she said the same questions apply to other forms of online gambling, including New York Lottery products that offer instant results, frequent drawings, and mobile access.
The ease and speed of digital play can blur the line between entertainment and risk. Woerner added:
Individuals are exposed to constant prompts to bet, effectively carrying a casino in their pocket.
Revenue success means more scrutiny
In 2022, New York entered the mobile sports betting market. The state quickly became one of the largest betting states in the country. In 2024 alone, New York generated more than $1 billion in gaming tax revenue from mobile wagering.
At the same time, the New York Lottery is also one of the state’s most reliable revenue engines. It helps fund education and other public programs through both traditional retail sales and growing digital offerings.
Because of this financial success with both sports betting and the lottery, Woerner said it creates a responsibility to better understand the potential downsides. Woerner stated:
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.
The legislative path
Funding for this proposed research institute would come through future state budget allocations. In addition, they would use federal and private grants determined after it was established.
This legislation doesn't impose any new taxes or fees on gambling operators, which include the sports betting platforms and the lottery. This Assembly bill, A09239, may soon have a Senate companion. Woerner said she's in talks with a state senator about introducing matching legislation.
Assemblyman Matt Simpson, R - Lake George, said he supports the research concept, but he questions whether it addresses New York's reliance on gambling revenue. Simpson said:
The problem in New York State is the addiction to revenue. I don't see that changing.
Additional measures target problem gambling
Woerner has also introduced two other bills aimed at reducing gambling harm across all platforms, including the lottery.
One bill would require mobile sports betting operators to link problem gambling resources directly to New York's Office of Addiction Services and Supports, rather than to private or out-of-state providers. Another would require operators to allow electronic self-exclusion, making it easier for players to block access to mobile betting.
Federal spotlight on gambling advertising
At the federal level, U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, has introduced legislation to limit television and online advertising for mobile sports betting. Tonko has framed gambling addiction, including risks tied to lottery-style instant games, as a public health issue, comparing the proposal to restrictions on cigarette advertising.
As New York continues to expand digital gambling options, lawmakers say understanding how technology-driven play affects consumers will be critical, whether the bet is placed on a game, a draw, or a scratch-off tapped on a screen.
Enjoy playing the New York Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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