New York Bill Would Require Insurance Companies to Cover Gambling Problems
New York State Sen. Joseph Addabbo has introduced a new bill that seeks to mandate insurance coverage for problem gambling treatment. Filed as Senate Bill S8352, the legislation proposes that insurance companies be required to provide outpatient coverage for diagnosing and treating gambling addiction.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The bill specifically amends existing New York law to include outpatient treatment for problem gambling alongside services for substance use disorder. By doing so, it ensures that individuals experiencing gambling addiction have access to professional support without the need for a concurrent diagnosis related to drug or alcohol dependence.
Related: New York Senator Advocates for Raising VLT Gambling AgeUnder current regulations, insurance providers in New York are not required to cover gambling addiction services unless the patient also suffers from a substance use disorder.
Sen. Addabbo's initiative is a response to the growing concerns around gambling addiction as the gaming industry continues to expand in New York and across the US. He stated that he anticipates a rise in the number of New Yorkers who will need access to problem gambling services due to increased availability and accessibility of gaming options.
The legislation seeks to proactively address these issues by removing a major barrier to care — the lack of insurance coverage.
The proposed legislation would directly impact insurance policies that offer medical or similar health-related coverage, requiring them to include treatment services for gambling-related disorders. This change would align problem gambling treatment with how the state currently treats substance use disorders in terms of insurance obligations.
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The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), which oversees more than 1,500 addiction prevention and treatment programs, currently cannot guarantee insurance coverage for gambling-only issues unless a co-occurring substance use condition exists.
OASAS provides services to more than 730,000 individuals annually and operates 12 treatment centers across the state. However, many of these services are inaccessible to individuals who suffer solely from gambling addiction under the current insurance structure. The bill introduced by Sen. Addabbo aims to rectify that gap in service delivery by ensuring broader coverage and reducing the financial burden on individuals seeking help.
There is also a parallel effort in the New York Assembly. Assemblymember Phil Steck introduced Assembly Bill A8518 in May, legislation that contains identical language to Sen. Addabbo's bill. Steck's bill has been referred to his chamber's Standing Committee on Insurance, while Addabbo's version is now under consideration in the Senate Rules Committee.
Sen. Addabbo has remained active in matters related to gaming legislation throughout the current legislative session. Earlier this year, he filed Senate Bill S5935A, a proposal designed to ban online sweepstakes casinos within New York. That legislation also targets affiliates and suppliers that derive revenue from sweepstakes-based gaming by prohibiting them from operating in the state if their income is linked to such activity.
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