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State of Play’s TL;DR
- A New York comptroller report says mobile sports betting has driven billions in revenue since 2022.
- During that time, though, problem gambling hotline calls climbed 8.5%.
New York’s mobile sports betting market has produced massive wagering volume and tax revenue since launching in 2022, but a new state report says concerns about gambling harm are rising alongside it.
According to New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s report, calls to the state’s problem gambling HOPEline rose 8.5% from 2020 to 2025, reaching 2,545 calls.
The report also says mobile sports betting is now the state’s second-largest source of gaming revenue behind the lottery.
Mobile betting has become a major revenue driver
New Yorkers have placed more than $91.2 billion in mobile sports bets since legalization in January 2022, generating $8.3 billion in gross gaming revenue, according to the report. Taxes paid on mobile sports betting increased 78.4% to $1.3 billion between fiscal years 2023 and 2026.
The report says legal gambling in New York generated more than $5.1 billion for the state in 2026, up $1.3 billion, or 32.7%, from 10 years earlier. It also found that revenue from gambling other than mobile sports betting declined by 0.8%, while lottery revenue fell nearly 10% in fiscal year 2026 from 2023.
Last year, New York had 7.2 million unique mobile sports wagering accounts. The average amount bet per account was $3,500, and the average wager was $42. Basketball alone accounted for more than $9 billion in betting activity.
Hotline calls and funding increases point to growing concern
DiNapoli said the growth in state revenue has come with risks.
“While the legalization of mobile sports betting in New York has boosted state revenues, the rise in problem gambling, particularly among young people, is a major concern.”
The comptroller also pointed to broader online gambling access, saying the spread of prediction markets tied to sports activity makes it easier for users to get hooked on online platforms.
New York has doubled funding for problem gambling services from $6 million to $12 million. DiNapoli said that increase was encouraging, but he described it as small relative to the billions being wagered.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced in April that the state would survey residents on gambling’s effects and assess whether additional services are needed. The figures offer a clear example of the tradeoff policymakers are watching closely: fast-growing betting revenue on one side, and stronger demand for responsible gambling support on the other.
Based on reporting by Dennis Yusko for Spectrum News 13.
