The New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) has expressed concerns over a recent surge in gambling addiction rates and is considering beefing up its rules for online sportsbooks.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Executive Director Robert Williams cited a recent report from the well-respected Lancet medical journal that said up to 450 million people globally could suffer from the impact of problematic gambling.

He acknowledged that the NYSGC is in a strange predicament as it operates the state lottery while also regulating the sports betting sector.

Sports betting in the Empire State is big business – total handle last year reached almost $20bn and people have created over 4.2 million accounts since the market launched in January 2022.

While the NYSGC has introduced stricter online advertising rules and rolled out new self-exclusion services, it wants to do more.

help them better spot and interact with people who show signs of addiction

Proposals include implementing additional reporting requirements for sportsbook operators so experts can better understand what precautions need to be put in place. In addition, the NYSGC wants to improve training protocols for people working in the sector to help them better spot and interact with people who show signs of addiction