Op-Ed | New Yorkers need more protection from gambling addiction

The impending introduction of three new casinos in New York has come with promises of increased tourism, tax revenue, permanent job creation, affordable housing, and public green space. And while all of this seems beneficial and may very well come to fruition, one threat that cannot go unaddressed is the further enablement of gambling addiction.  

The State must start directing more resources to meet New York’s growing addiction problem before these casinos open.  

With the legalization of sports betting in recent years, gambling is now more accessible and seemingly ubiquitous than ever. A recent study led by University of California San Diego Qualcomm Institute and School of Medicine found a 23 percent surge nationally in searches for gambling addiction help since online sports betting was made legal in 2017. In New York specifically, gambling addiction help-seeking rose 37 percent.  

And the addition of more casinos to our area will only exacerbate this, making New Yorkers even more vulnerable. A 2023 study reinforced a previous finding that people residing near gambling venues are more likely to gamble, less likely to be happy, and are more likely to suffer from financial hardship and mental health problems.  

The issue of problem gambling does not often exist on its own. The development of gambling addiction alongside other mental illnesses is common, as these conditions have comorbidities that tend to exacerbate each other. Suicide rates among problem gamblers are 15 times higher. Instances of gambling addiction are also tied to relationship breakdown, family violence, child neglect, financial distress, income-generating crimes like theft and fraud, and more.  

Additionally, gambling addiction is a driver of poverty as it often diverts household spending from essential goods and services. At least one in ten homeless individuals have been affected by problem gambling on some level. And with New York’s poverty rate being nearly double the national average in 2023, 26 percent of children in New York City living in poverty as of this year, and homelessness doubling statewide between 2022 and 2024, we need to be cautious about allowing a contributor to these challenges to run unchecked any further. 

First and foremost, further campaigning must be done to provide education around the signs and symptoms of gambling addiction and the importance of early intervention, along with information on resources that are already established. Many problem gamblers develop an addiction without even realizing it. This is a bare minimum given the preexisting threat posed by online sports betting and the troubling trends surrounding it. New York is already the leading state in mobile sports wagering, with nearly $60 billion in bets having been placed as of January 2025. 

More funding for accessible treatment options tailored specifically for gambling addiction also needs to be designated. The $6 million now allocated annually from mobile sports betting tax revenue is not enough. With continually increasing numbers of individuals already seeking help and the addition of more casinos impending, existing clinical services could soon become inundated or strapped for resources, allowing individuals to fall through the cracks.  

Furthermore, we need to enable better assistance for covering treatment for problem gambling. For example, New York State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. recently introduced a bill that would require insurance coverage of outpatient problem gambling services. This measure needs to be pushed forward. Gambling addiction is as serious as any other substance abuse disorder and should be treated as such in medical insurance plans.  

This is a matter of public health, as the potential benefit of these casinos can easily be outweighed by the harms that more problem gambling can inflict upon individuals, families, and our communities. We must do more to help our fellow New Yorkers who are already struggling due to sports betting and prevent more individuals from falling victim to the grasp of gambling addiction. Right now, the need is swiftly outpacing the solutions.  

Sherry Tucker is the CEO of WellLife Network, a nonprofit that provides gambling addiction services through its Addiction Rehab Clinics.