BILL NUMBER: S1550
SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in
relation to requiring all advertisements for gambling and sports betting
to include warnings about potential harmful and addictive effects of
gambling and to requiring the state gaming commission to cooperate with
the commissioner of addiction services and supports to ensure that all
advertisements for gaming activity state a problem gambling hotline
number
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
An act to amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in
relation to requiring all advertisements for gambling to include warn-
ings about potential harmful and addictive effect of gambling
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Amends the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, to provide
affirmative statutory language that ensures that all advertisements for
gambling/gaming/sports wagering contain warnings abut the potential
harmful and addictive effects of gambling.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
New York State residents have access to wagering at multiple casinos,
racetracks, the lottery and other venues and means. Gambling will be
even more accessible. In New York State, gambling can be found every-
where from physical casinos to a multitude of online websites and apps.
The advent of the internet has made gambling more accessible through
online betting platform. As gambling becomes more easily accessed by
more people, the number of lives negatively affected by gambling has
also increased. This can lead to serious consequences for both the
gambler and their family.
The Wagering Industry has invested substantial amounts in advertising.
Yet, New York State invest merely 1 million dollars a year per public
service announcements regarding problem gambling. The National Council
on Problem Gambling defines problem gambling as, (G)ambling behavior
which causes disruptions in any mayor area of life: psychological,
physical, social or vocational." This may include pathological and
compulsive gambling, which is a term of addiction that grows worse as
time progresses. Statistics reports. that "approximately 2.6 of the U.S.
population has some type of gambling issue. That adds up to nearly 10
million people in the United States who struggle with a gambling habit."
(National Council on Problem Gambling).
In the unprecedented growth of gambling, where it is easy to place bets
with PayPal, credit cards, bitcoin, or money-transfer apps; it is also
important as a state to be proactive identifying and preventing poten-
tial problems of gambling. If s'!gned,into law, this bill would require
industries to include warnings about potential harmful and addictive
effects of gambling.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2022: S3739B- passed assembly
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Not applicable.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have
become a law.