Rise of Betting Apps Contributes to Gambling Addiction Crisis

In mid-November, we spoke about the latest report from the Lancet Public Health Commission that was warning of a series of public health risks from the online gambling boom.

Now, almost three years after the launch of the mobile sports betting market in New York, similar concerns have been expressed by New York clinicians, including counselors at the Helio Health gambling treatment center in Syracuse. 

“I’m Getting Less and Less Phone Calls”

According to gambling treatment counselor Susan Browne who works at the center that “offers both individual and group counseling sessions geared toward developing problem-solving strategies and other skills that lead to long-term abstinence from gambling,” the number of problem gamblers reaching out to them is becoming smaller and smaller. 

“There’s more methods of gambling, yet I’m getting less and less phone calls,” Browne said, adding that, in her opinion, “there will come a time that the floodgates open, but at this point, it just appears that folks are not seeking the help that’s available.” 

Part of the issue, thinks Browne, stems from the way mobile sports betting is perceived. Since the state made online wagering, younger clients often claim they don’t gamble, but “bet on sports.” 

Moreover, the distinction between traditional gambling and sports betting apps like DraftKings and FanDuel has created a false sense of security.

The Helio Help Center currently offers professional screening and assessments, individual, group, family, and phone counseling sessions, as well as financial and debt management skills and gambling in-service training upon request.

“It’s All the Same Thing” 

Jim Maney, executive director of the New York Council on Problem Gambling, explained that “Being on a phone app is no different from being on Instagram or Snapchat or TikTok. Now you’re on a gambling app. It’s all the same thing.” 

The high degree of accessibility for mobile platforms has normalized gambling and turned it into a regular part of sports culture, especially among young people.

Maney noted that even with increased gambling activity, the number of people seeking treatment remains low. 

The lack of visible symptoms makes it difficult for others to recognize the problem. 

Gamblers often delay getting help until they are in severe debt. “Problem gamblers might borrow from friends, max out credit cards, or mortgage their homes before they’re willing to see a therapist,” Maney said.

He also explained that admitting to having a gambling issue can be “very, very shameful.”

Public Education Is Mandatory 

Laura Combs, executive director of New Choices Recovery Center in Schenectady, emphasized the need for public education to combat gambling addiction. 

She believes prevention efforts should start early. For example, parents giving scratch-off tickets to children can inadvertently encourage “magical thinking,” the belief that luck will overcome the odds.

Combs compared gambling to alcohol addiction, noting that public awareness took years to shift perceptions. 

“They would feel that there was something unique or wrong or bad about them,” she said, “versus recognizing that anybody who drinks enough or uses enough of a substance over time is going to develop a problem.”

New York has invested in treatment resources, but Combs advocates for stricter advertising regulations and more education. 

Recent legislation signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul mandates that all gambling ads, including those for mobile sports betting, display addiction warnings and hotline numbers.

U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko is also pushing for national reforms through his SAFE Bet Act, which seeks to curb sportsbook advertising during live events, limit daily deposits, and introduce affordability checks before large wagers are accepted.

At the start of December, former New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang also voiced concerns regarding the proliferation of sports gambling in the US which is still lacking the necessary safeguards.