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Read Full BioA bill introduced in New York proposes banning sportsbooks from offering bettors counseling, therapy, and treatment services for problem gambling. The legislation would dictate that gamblers must be referred to a state-approved program amid concerns that treatment providers may have a financial arrangement with sports betting providers.
Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner last month introduced bill A9146, which aims to ensure those seeking help for gambling problems are referred exclusively to the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS).
Woerner commented, “Problem gambling is a growing public health concern in New York, particularly with the rapid expansion of mobile sports wagering.”
Current law requires online sportsbooks to provide links and contact information for OASAS on their websites and platforms. However, companies can also advertise, promote, and make referrals for counseling services and practitioners that are not credentialed by OASAS, not located in New York, and not free of charge.
Woerner said this could result in a less effective service being offered. She stated, “This presents a potential conflict between the mobile sports operator’s interest in generating revenue by the number of bets placed and lost versus an individual’s need for help to limit or stop gambling.”
OASAS Provides Affordable Help for Problem Gamblers
Instead of recommending their own treatments, Woerner said that OASAS should be the exclusive place for problem gamblers. She added, “OASAS was established as the designated state agency for addiction services, including services for problem gambling. It oversees one of the nation’s largest addiction services systems with more than 1,700 prevention, treatment, and recovery programs for New York residents.”
She also said that the service, unlike private practitioners that sportsbooks may recommend, offers treatment at affordable rates. She continued, “Crucially, OASAS administers the credentialing for problem gambling, counselors, prevention practitioners, and prevention specialists, and all services are available regardless of ability to pay.”
Problem gamblers seeking help can also contact helplines; however, the national hotline, 1-800-GAMBLER, has been the subject of a legal dispute. In September, a court ruled that the service return to the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ). The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has been running the service for the last three years.
The NCPG argued that the CCGNJ is not fully equipped to deal with the volume of calls to the helpline. Similarly, Woerner argues that sportsbooks are not equipped to deal with gamblers seeking help.
Betting Companies & Responsible Gambling Message Misses
Similar accusations have been leveled at sportsbooks. In the UK, a study commissioned by responsible gambling group GambleAware said that company-produced videos warning users about the risk of gambling had little effect.
In fact, it was found that safer gambling videos produced by two UK betting companies led to significantly increased click-through rates on a gambling app.
Similarly, DraftKings launched a campaign during Responsible Gaming Education Month in August to encourage users to engage with its responsible gambling tools. If users utilized tools such as My Budget Builder, then they were entered into a prize draw to win NFL and Super Bowl tickets.
Critics argued that the sportsbook was effectively encouraging users to engage with the incentive of winning a big prize, much like playing a lottery.
Bill A9146 has been referred to New York’s Racing & Wagering Committee, where it will undergo discussion. If passed in the Assembly, it will proceed to the Senate before being sent to the Governor’s desk for final approval.
