New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Monday announced a series of plans to protect gamblers, including safeguards for youth and halting predatory online sports betting practices.
Key Takeaways
- The State Commission released its responses to Gov. Hochul for public comment.
- New York has the largest sports betting ecosystem in America.
- Possible changes could change geotracking, sportsbook marketing, age assurance, and more.
Hochul’s primary point of emphasis is the need for strong safeguards in the gambling industry.
She said in her 2026 State of the State address in early January that she wanted the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) to take necessary action to ensure underage gamblers aren’t being allowed to download sports betting apps or use accounts belonging to of-age individuals. She also called for them to create protocols that would identify and protect problem gamblers and prohibit betting companies from using AI to personalize opportunities and bonuses for customers.
“Mobile sports wagering is everywhere, enticing everyone - including our youth - to place bets without fully considering the consequences,” Hochul said in Monday's announcement. “We need strong regulatory safeguards to prevent those under 21 from gambling, keep artificial intelligence from preying on gamblers, and require sports wagering operators to take real action if one of their customers is showing signs of gambling harm.
“I’m thankful to the Gaming Commission for putting forth comprehensive measures that achieve these goals and protect New Yorkers. As a reminder: Only legal, regulated gaming have such safeguards in place.”
The Commission previously published two proposals - one that dealt with protecting the youth and the other on additional responsible gaming practices - that were intended to help address Hochul’s concerns. Both are now available for public comment.
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Proposed changes
The Commission’s two drafts include a series of possible changes. The first, which dealt with protecting the youth, included the following solutions:
- Using age-assurance controls
- Requiring biometric data to ensure the individual who creates a betting account is the only one using it
- Using geolocation data to block attempts to place mobile wagers if it is not the primary phone of the account holder.
- Blocking account access if the account is live in more than one area simultaneously.
- Preventing social security numbers from being used to create accounts for 18+ users.
- Open reporting of suspected access to betting accounts for individuals who are ineligible to place bets
- Prohibiting all forms of legal gambling for individuals who allow access to underage persons.
The second proposal, which was left open to “additional responsible gaming practices,” cast a slightly wider net. One possible reform would bar betting companies from utilizing artificial intelligence to tailor promotions and wager suggestions for customers.
It also outlined a plan to identify and support at-risk gamblers. That includes a method of identification, a cool-off period, and a due diligence review, which could be triggered by a variety of actions or behaviors, including depositing more than $10,000 in 24 hours.
Sportsbooks and betting platforms would be required to keep and share with the Commission proper documentation of all at-risk patrons at the NYSGC’s request. Interventions would also need to be executed if necessitated by due diligence reviews.
“As Governor Hochul rightly highlighted: No other form of gambling has pervaded our consciousness like sports wagering, and impressionable kids are constantly exposed to the practice,” said Commission chair Brian O’Dwyer. “Per her direction, we have identified additional ways to protect our youth, help those who need it at the point of crisis, and keep legalized, regulated gaming safe for all New Yorkers. We look forward to hearing from the public on these important proposals.”
Responsible gaming efforts
New York sports betting is the largest sports gaming market in the U.S. The state recently reported it accepted $554.7 million in wagers during the week ending March 22, the first weekend of March Madness. That marked the third straight weekly period that it took in more than half-a-billion in bets, which is more than many states report in an entire month.
Despite the market’s enormous size, Hochul and state officials have remained committed to preserving responsible gaming practices. The Commission recently asked 100 sports leagues to provide input on player prop manipulation to help the state reduce the threat of nefarious interference, although O’Dwyer later called their feedback “underwhelming.”
Meanwhile, Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal (D-67) is working to get live betting banned across the state. AB9343, which she refiled at the beginning of January, would prohibit online and retail sportsbooks from offering in-play markets to try to help create separation between bettors and betting once games are live.
