New York Mobile Sports Betting Claims Second Spot in State Gaming Revenue

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released a report in September 2026 that places mobile sports betting as New York’s second-largest source of gaming revenue behind only the lottery, and the data traces this climb directly to legalization in January 2022. Observers note that more than $91.2 billion has been wagered through mobile platforms since that date, generating $8.3 billion in gross gaming revenue while state tax collections have risen sharply in step with the activity.

Revenue Growth Since Legalization

The figures show consistent expansion across the years that followed legalization, with mobile sports betting overtaking several traditional categories and landing immediately behind lottery proceeds in the overall ranking. Data indicates that the volume of wagers and the resulting revenue both increased steadily, and tax receipts grew in proportion because the state applies a fixed percentage to the gross gaming revenue produced by each operator. Those who have tracked the sector point out that the combination of online access and widespread smartphone use helped drive participation levels higher than many earlier projections anticipated, yet the report confines itself to documenting the recorded totals rather than forecasting future patterns.

Problem Gambling Hotline Activity

Alongside the revenue numbers, the same report records an 8.5 percent rise in calls to the state’s HOPEline problem gambling hotline between 2020 and 2025. Researchers have connected this uptick to the broader availability of mobile sports betting, and they note particular concern about increased contacts from younger adults who have grown up with smartphone-based gaming options. The hotline data do not establish direct causation in every case, but the timing aligns with the period when legal mobile betting became widely accessible, and state officials continue to monitor call volumes as one indicator of potential harm.

State agencies have responded by maintaining existing support services and by examining whether additional outreach might be needed for demographic groups that show higher call rates. The report presents the hotline statistics alongside the revenue figures so that readers can consider both the fiscal outcomes and the public-health indicators within the same document.

Tax Collections and State Budget Impact

Tax revenue derived from the $8.3 billion in gross gaming revenue has become a measurable line item in the state budget, and officials have allocated portions of those receipts to education and other designated programs as required by statute. Because the tax rate remains steady, any further growth in wagering volume translates directly into higher collections without requiring legislative changes to the rate itself. The report lists the cumulative tax amounts generated since January 2022 and places them in context with other gaming sources that have longer histories in New York.

Context Within Broader Gaming Landscape

Mobile sports betting now sits behind only the lottery in total contribution, surpassing several land-based categories that previously ranked higher. This shift occurred within a relatively short window after legalization, and the report presents year-by-year comparisons that illustrate how quickly the new channel established itself. Observers note that the ranking reflects both the scale of mobile activity and the slower growth or flat performance in some traditional segments during the same period.

Conclusion

The September 2026 report from Comptroller DiNapoli supplies a single source for the revenue totals, the tax figures, and the hotline call statistics, allowing policymakers and the public to review the economic results and the associated service demands side by side. The document records that more than $91.2 billion has been wagered, that $8.3 billion in gross gaming revenue has been produced, and that calls to HOPEline rose 8.5 percent from 2020 to 2025. Those numbers remain the central facts of the current assessment of mobile sports betting’s place in New York’s gaming revenue structure. The full report is available for readers who want teh detailed tables and additional breakdowns that accompany these headline figures.