State senators overwhelmingly support a measure to restrict gambling ads
Last Thursday, the New York Senate unanimously passed legislation to improve gaming industry marketing campaigns by a 57-0 vote. State Sen. Leroy Comrie proposed the Senate’s version of the legislation.
The bill has identical language as Assembly Bill 1118, which was proposed by Assemblyman Clyde Vanel and substituted for Senate Bill 1550 before it was returned to the Assembly. If approved before the end of the current session on June 6, Governor Kathy Hochul could sign it into law soon after, and the new law would go into effect 60 days later.
The new law would require all gaming ads to include warnings about problem gambling. Providers must also include a problem gambling hotline phone number on all sports betting and casino ads, and parimutuel wagering facilities must have signage indicating how bettors can be included on self-exclusion lists.
Sen. Comrie stated when proposing the bill in January that this legislation is needed to continue improving responsible gambling efforts in New York. “In New York State, gambling can be found everywhere, from physical casinos to a multitude of online websites and apps,” wrote Comrie. “As gambling becomes more easily accessed by more people, the number of lives negatively affected by gambling has also increased. 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 potential problems of gambling.”
New York is currently focused on further expansion of its gaming industry. The Gaming Commission expects three more casino licenses to be issued next year, with an upfront fee of $500 million for each venue.
