BUFFALO, N.Y. — Sports betting has been in New York State now for more than a month, and in the first month, numbers showed that New York had the biggest sports betting month for any state... ever.
With that, the New York State Gaming Commission is introducing its first-ever National Problem Gambling Awareness Month.
Wednesday marked the start of the month, where several organizations launched a mix of technologies and initiatives that will increase public awareness of problem gambling.
It will also help provide prevention, treatment and recovery services.
There is a QR code specifically designed to connect problem gamblers with specifically trained clinicians faster and closer to home than ever before.
“It is very likely that a person actively seeking help for his or her gambling problem is already in crisis or living or working with someone who is,” National Council on Problem Gambling Executive Director Keith Whyte said in a statement.
“New York’s QR Code gives that person a chance to find, contact and get help from a trained professional in one discreet step and increases their overall chances of receiving the help they need.”
In its first month of sports betting, the Empire State blew past New Jersey in January to seize the market lead, taking over $1.6 billion worth of sports bets. That's $300 million better than the best month that New Jersey ever had.
Figures released Friday by the New York State Gaming Commission show that mobile sports betting brought in $1.62 billion between its launch on Jan. 9 and the week ending Jan. 30.
In-person sports betting at four upstate casinos added close to another $15 million, bringing the monthly total to $1.64 billion.