Online Betting Spurs Rising Gambling Addiction in NY’s Youth

The rise of online gambling, especially among younger men, has alarmed addiction experts in New York, where mobile sports betting now tops the list of reasons people call the state’s gambling helpline. 

Public Health Issue

Although a bill to legalize full-scale casino apps didn’t pass this year, researchers emphasize that youth problem gambling is becoming a serious public health issue that demands immediate attention.

According to New York’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports, “The largest single-year increases for all presented service and treatment utilization data were observed between 2021-22, following the implementation of legalized mobile sports betting in January 2022.” 

Meanwhile, a survey from the Siena College Research Institute reveals that 22% of Americans and nearly half of men aged 18 to 49 have mobile sports betting accounts.

“They’re being groomed for the day they are able to really gamble legally,” said Jim Maney, executive director at the New York Council on Problem Gambling.

As explained in a Healthbeat New York story produced in collaboration with the Health & Science Reporting Program at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., who sponsored the bill to legalize iGaming, is expected to reintroduce it next year. 

New York already offers more legal gambling options than any other state, from horse racing to land-based casinos.

On a national scale, gambling addiction is on the rise. The National Council on Problem Gambling estimates that 3 to 5 out of every 10 gamblers struggle with problem gambling, affecting around 5 million Americans. 

QuitGamble reports that 81% of problem gamblers engage in online gambling, with slot machine apps having addiction rates over 50%.

Why Young Adults Are Ideal Targets

Stephen Shapiro from the University of South Carolina explains that young adults are an ideal market because they are tech-savvy, risk-takers, and often lack financial literacy. 

Aggressive advertising for apps like DraftKings and FanDuel appears everywhere, from TV breaks to subways, feeding into short attention spans with micro-betting options.

Dr. Christopher Tuell of the Lindner Center of HOPE highlights how the still-developing brains of young people are vulnerable to the easy mobile gambling experience, contributing to the gaming addiction crisis. 

Dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical, tricks the brain into craving addictive behaviors, making it challenging to stop despite the negative consequences.

More Prevention Needed 

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has dedicated part of the nearly $30 billion in gambling tax revenue toward education and treatment, allocating $6 million so far. 

The state has also expanded Medicaid coverage for gambling disorder treatment. However, Maney argues prevention efforts remain insufficient, explaining that for every dollar spent on gambling ads, “a dollar has to be spent on counter advertisements to raise the awareness of problem gambling.”

“There is not enough treatment and prevention”, he said, arguing the lack of “enough education” and any helpful research as of now.