Relates to advertising restrictions for mobile sports wagering licensees

• Democratic6

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Leroy Comrie says this is needed

As a result of the legalization of mobile sports wagering in 2022, all gaming-eligible New Yorkers have gained access to a form of gambling which they can participate in at any time from their phones or comput- ers. While legalizing mobile sports wagering was important, it also came with an increase in calls for problem gamblers. In fact, according to the gaming commission, in the year since mobile sports wagering became legalized, they saw a 26% increase in problem gambling calls. Advertising plays a major role in gaming companies getting more garners on their platforms, and its important that these advertisements not be deceptive, misleading, or that they unduly influence people to partic- ipate in a gambling activity when they otherwise wouldò not have wanted to. It is also important that people who are viewing these advertise- ments are clearly communicated a problem gambling hotline number in such a way that they can make the most use out of it. Thus, to accomplish these goals, this bill applies mobile sports wager- ing licensees to the provisions of the advertising section of the wager- ing law to require that they not create deceptive or misleading adver- tisements, that they block user request to discontinue future receipt of advertisements, and that they provide to the gaming commission complete and accurate copies of their advertisements and maintain a complete record of all of their advertisements for at least two years. The bill also bans the depiction of any minor, regardless of whether or not they are engaging in a gaming activity, and it requires that all video advertisements for mobile sports wagering include a problem gambl- ing hotline number for the entire duration of the advertisement so that problem gamblers have a longer opportunity to see and call that number.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.