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Seven bills targeting problem gambling cleared the New York State Assembly on March 25, 2026. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who led the announcement, said gambling operators working in the state have a duty to prioritize residents’ welfare over their profits. The package reflects a growing concern that New York’s gambling industry has outpaced the rules meant to keep it in check.
Prioritizing families over betting profits
Speaker Heastie was blunt in his assessment, stating that problem gambling “rips families apart” and brings unnecessary harm to communities. He emphasized that while any business operating in New York must contribute to the state’s economy, they must do so responsibly.
Assemblymember Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, pointed to the same problem from a different angle, arguing that the harm does not stop with the person placing the bet. Families suffer and friends bear the weight too. Her focus with this package was clear: creating fewer barriers for those trying to walk away from gambling and establishing stronger protections for the communities left to deal with the fallout.
Lowering barriers: Self-exclusion and enhanced verification
Self-exclusion allows people to voluntarily cut themselves off from gambling establishments and betting apps, but current rules require submitting that request in person to the New York State Gaming Commission. Bill A.9113-B would change that, directing the commission to build a process for electronic submissions instead. For someone already wrestling with addiction, showing up in person is no small ask; removing that requirement could make the difference between a person getting help or putting it off indefinitely.
Furthering this push for oversight, Woerner also introduced A.9584-A, which would require mobile betting operators to beef up their user identity verification. The bill calls for “know your customer” protocols and a risk-assessment framework. These tools are designed to help operators catch problem gambling behavior before it spirals out of control.
Advertising standards and consumer transparency
Assemblymember Clyde Vanel, D-Queens, sponsored bill A.382 targeting how mobile sportsbooks advertise to New York residents. Under current rules, licensed casinos face stricter advertising standards than mobile betting apps; Vanel’s bill would close that gap, applying the same standards to both.
The legislation also requires that any video advertisement from a casino or mobile sportsbook display the problem gambling helpline number for the entire duration of the ad, not just a flash at the end. Vanel framed the bill as a matter of public health, saying that responsible advertising means making life-saving resources visible at all times.
To ensure bettors are aware of their own habits, Assemblymember Rebecca Kassay‘s bill, A.10329, would require mobile sports betting operators to send each bettor a monthly electronic statement. These statements will outline deposits, withdrawals, and the full betting record for that month. Kassay called it a “modernization of consumer protections,” with the idea that seeing the numbers laid out plainly could prompt someone to reconsider their habits before they become a problem.
Insurance coverage and the scrutiny of prop bets
Assemblymember Phil Steck, D-Schenectady, introduced what may be the most far-reaching bill in the package, A.8518, which would require commercial health insurers to include outpatient care for problem gambling under their coverage plans. Steck was direct about the current situation, noting that coverage is “patchy” and too many people who need help simply cannot get it.
Without reliable insurance, the choice often comes down to paying out of pocket or walking away from treatment altogether. Steck also made it clear that improving access to care is only part of the solution, because waiting until someone has a problem is not good enough; the state needs responsible gambling guardrails to prevent damage before it starts.
The final bill targets “proposition bets,” a specific type of wager placed on individual moments within a game rather than the final result, which has drawn scrutiny for being vulnerable to manipulation. Assemblymember Alex Bores, D-Manhattan, introduced A.10538 to establish an independent task force that would study them directly.
The task force would examine how prop bets affect market integrity, their economic implications, and the state revenue they account for. Bores acknowledged there is still a lot the legislature does not know about them, and that is exactly why the study needs to happen before any further action is taken.
The bills now head to the New York State Senate. According to news on the CNY homepage, the Assembly also designated March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month in New York State.
