New York State Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. hosted a webinar on Sept. 13 to offer problem gambling education to his constituents. On Sept. 18, his office issued a press release about the Responsible Gaming Education Month effort. Plus, his office told Bonus that Addabbo’s New York responsible gaming webinar may yield learnings he can use for a Problem Gambling Awareness Month outreach in March.
The Ozone Park Democrat, known for legal gambling expansion advocacy, repeated the statement he made before hosting the webinar.
Addabbo said again today:
As the Chairman of the NYS Senate Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering, I believe I have a responsibility to bring this event to the community for the public good and will always consider the issue of problem gambling a high priority when safely expanding gaming in New York. If we can help individuals from taking this preventable trip down the road to self-destruction, then we have accomplished something really important.
Bonus asked how many New Yorkers attended the responsible gaming Zoom meeting on Wednesday, but Addabbo’s office didn’t have that number. The reasoning: Webinar attendees were anonymous.
However, the primary speaker didn’t hold back.
Scott Meyer facilitated the meeting. He talked about surviving prison and three suicide attempts due to his struggle with gambling addiction. The husband, father, grandfather, financial advisor, and coach is a certified peer recovery advocate with the New York Council on Problem Gambling (NYCPG).
The one-hour webinar co-sponsored by Resorts World New York City “also included examples of harms caused by problem gambling and the warning signs, services available in New York State such as NYCPG and Gambler’s Anonymous, and a Q&A session,” according to Addabbo’s announcement.
NY Responsible Gaming Extends to the Casino Floor
Resorts World staffers are trained to help problem gamblers.
Addabbo’s statement emailed to Bonus today includes comments from Warlito Deleon, Training Manager, Resorts World New York City.
Addabbo’s press release paraphrases Deleon as saying Resorts World’s training instructs employees to be “empathetic, compassionate, and caring to anyone who approaches them and asks for help because they believe they have an addiction.”
NYCPG’s statistics show that that person approaching a Resorts World staffer could be among the 4.3% (600,000) adults in New York State who are “experiencing problems related to their gambling activity.”
Addabbo’s Efforts to Prevent Problem Gambling
Addabbo includes responsible gaming funding in each legal gambling expansion bill he drafts.
That will likely be in the online casino bill he introduces in 2024, Addabbo has repeatedly told Bonus. That promise matches efforts he’s already made to provide dollars to help problem gamblers.
Addabbo’s 2023 online casino bill outlined $12 million to fight gambling addiction.
Plus, Addabbo emphasizes that he believes legal gambling makes it easier to identify and help problem gamblers vs. the current climate of illegal offshore online casino gambling sites not reporting such situations.
Resorts World’s Role in Legal Gambling Expansion
On Oct. 6, entities hoping to buy three full retail casino licenses to operate gaming facilities in downstate New York have a deadline. Those possible licensees must turn in their second round of questions for the Gaming Facility Location Board (GFLB), appointed by the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC).
Only after the board answers those questions will it request applications from licensee hopefuls.
Resorts World may be among those applicants, but the board hasn’t yet released any names of entities submitting questions who may subsequently submit applications.
In other words, it’s still unclear which retail casinos may soon call downstate New York home.
However, they will probably have responsible gaming plans.
About the Author
