New York trails other states in supporting programs for gambling addiction — even though it plans to open new casinos soon and already makes more money from casinos, race tracks and the lottery than any other state.
New York now spends $2.2 million on compulsive gambling prevention and treatment.
Four new casinos are authorized for upstate New York, and the owners will pay $500 per slot machine or table game each year for gambling addiction services.
Experts say more help is needed for up to one million New Yorkers with a gambling problem.
Jim Maney directs New York's Council on Problem Gambling and says the state should set aside $20 million. That's less than 1 percent of its current $3.2 billion in annual gambling revenue.
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