New York operators to improve RG in ads as Senate unanimously backs bill
Empire State Senate is aiming to implement tougher restrictions on marketing, with Democrat-sponsored bill now requiring Governor approval
The New York Senate has passed a bill that will require operators to include warnings about harmful gambling behaviors and addiction across advertising materials.
Senator Leroy Comrie’s Senate Bill 1550 was backed unanimouslyby a vote of 57-0 yesterday, May 30.
After approval from the Senate, the bill will now be sent to the House and then potentially signed off by Govenor Kathy Hochul.
Comrie’s bill states that as well as warnings about the potential harms of gambling, all advertisements must include the New York state problem gambling hotline number.
SB 1550 also requires the New York State Gaming Commission to further cooperate with the commissioner of addiction services to provide a more holistic approach to responsible gaming.
The bill notes that currently, the state of New York invests just $1m a year into public service announcements regarding problem gambling, yet nearly 10 million people across the US struggle with a gambling habit according to statistics from the National Council on Problem Gambling.
Authors of the bill wrote: “In the unprecedented growth of gambling, where it is easy to place bets with PayPal, credit cards, bitcoin, or money-transfer apps; it is also important as a state to be proactive identifying and preventing potential problems of gambling.
“If signed into law, this bill would require industries to include warnings about potential harmful and addictive effects of gambling.”
Were the bill to be approved and signed into law, it will go into effect 60 days later.
News of the Senate’s approval comes while New York Congressman Paul Tonko aims to push his SAFE Bet Act through congress, with features of his proposal including a ban on operators airing sports betting advertisements during live sporting events.
Tonko’s act would also mean operators must conduct affordability checks before bettors wager large amounts, as well as preventing users from depositing more than five times within a 24-hour period.