New York Moves to Close Responsible Gambling Loophole
Jesse M. Cox Published 23/10/2026
The New York Gambling Commission (NYGC) is moving to pass legislation that would close responsible gambling loopholes involving self-exclusion. New York's gambling regulatory body is formally proposing two rules that it believes will help to lessen the impact of gambling addiction in the state. These measures are designed to identify problem gamblers so that they can be contacted and provided with the necessary resources and help to control their gambling addiction.
In seeking to implement these measures, New York is following in the footsteps of neighboring New Jersey. The Garden State has already installed similar problem gambling guardrails.
New York is ready to ramp up responsible gambling regulations
The NYSGC is looking to impose two new rules. These rules should promote a deeper responsible gambling connection between players and sports betting sites. The first rule would see specific thresholds established. When hit, this would help to identify at-risk bettors.
Those thresholds include a player depositing more than $10,000 over 24 hours or wagering more than $1 million in 90 days.
The second rule relates to sportsbooks and the promotional offers the sports betting sites present to at-risk players. It would prevent sports betting operators from using artificial intelligence to customize bonuses or wagers to specific players.
NYSGC Chair Brian O'Dwyer feels that these proposed rules would “provide an opportunity for the industry to illustrate its commitment” to protecting its customers from the dangers of problem gambling.
NYSGC members voted 6-0 to advance the two proposed responsible gambling rules. Both are now open to a 60-day public comment period. A final vote would need to be taken at the end of this window. If approved, then the new rules would take effect.
New York gambling regulators are putting the onus on the sports betting sites
While seeking to implement these new rules, the NYSGC is also sending a clear message to the state's sports betting operators to clean up their act. The state gambling regulatory body is emphasizing to the state's licensed sports betting sites that they must take ownership of responsible gambling regulations.
O'Dwyer wants industry operators that are licensed in New York to assemble a data-sharing system. This is so sites can advise competitors of which of their players have been flagged for responsible gambling violations. He would take action if betting sites decline to take this step. They will be required to adopt the system created by the NYSGC.
“The industry is on notice by me and this commission that they need to solve this problem,” O’Dwyer said, according to reporting by ProPublica. “If the industry does not address it, then we will address it, and they may not like the solution that we come up with.”
Responsible gambling advocates don't believe that these measures go far enough
Brianne Doura-Schawohl is the founder and CEO of Doura-Schawohl Consulting LLC. It's a boutique global government relations firm that specializes in problem and responsible gambling policy. Doura-Schawohl doesn't believe that the responsible gambling measures implemented by New York and previously by New Jersey go far enough. She thinks they are merely giving off the impression that the states are serious about dealing with problem gambling issues.
Doura-Schawohl insists that both states “are clearly complacent in the status quo by endorsing and prescribing regulations that are nothing more than giving the appearance of reform and not effectuating actual change.”
O'Dwyer did acknowledge “the limitations of this proposal.” He is counting on New York's nine licensed sports betting operators to be vigilant in protecting the well-being of problem gamblers.
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