Increases distributions for problem gambling education and treatment purposes to $12 million.
Summary
This bill amends New York’s racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law to change how mobile sports wagering tax revenue is distributed. It keeps mobile sports wagering revenue and tax revenue separate from other sports wagering revenue, and continues to direct those funds into the state lottery fund for education aid, with certain penalties, interest, and forfeitures also going to that fund.
The main policy change is an increase in the amount dedicated to problem gambling education and treatment. In the first fiscal year mobile sports wagering licensees operate, the commission must pay one percent of the state tax on mobile sports wagering into the commercial gaming fund for problem gambling purposes, but the bill raises the annual amount from $6 million to $12 million beginning in fiscal year 2025 and thereafter. The bill also preserves a separate one-percent allocation for a statewide youth sports activities and education grant program, with $5 million annually after the first year, and it requires monthly deposits and reporting by platform providers.
Impact
The bill would amend section 1367 of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law and indirectly affect the state finance law distribution structure for mobile sports wagering tax receipts. Its practical effect is to increase the statutory minimum funding for problem gambling education and treatment programs while leaving the existing education aid and youth sports grant allocations in place. The measure primarily affects mobile sports wagering operators, the state gaming commission, the commercial gaming fund, the state lottery fund, and the Office of Children and Family Services.
Sentiment
The available context suggests the bill is straightforward and supportive of expanded problem gambling services, with no recorded committee debate or votes indicating opposition. The caption emphasizes the increase in funding for problem gambling education and treatment, which indicates the bill’s purpose is generally remedial and public-health oriented. Because there are no transcripts or vote records provided, the overall sentiment can only be characterized as neutral-to-supportive based on the bill’s text and stated objective.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is fiscal: the bill doubles the annual set-aside for problem gambling education and treatment from $6 million to $12 million, which reduces the amount of mobile sports wagering tax revenue available for other state uses. A secondary issue is the continued earmarking of revenue for a youth sports grant program, which may compete with other budget priorities. No specific legislators, agencies, or stakeholder groups are identified in the provided materials as opposing or supporting these allocations.
Requires mobile sports wagering operators to submit anonymized data to the gaming commission; authorizes the gaming commission to share such data for the purposes of studying the impact of mobile sports wagering on problem gambling.
Requires mobile sports wagering operators when providing information regarding compulsive play, all links and referrals for counseling, therapy or treatment services shall direct account holders to the problem gambling services webpage maintained the office of addiction services and supports.
Requires mobile sports wagering operators when providing information regarding compulsive play, all links and referrals for counseling, therapy or treatment services shall direct account holders to the problem gambling services webpage maintained by the office of addiction services and supports.