Many Central New Yorkers have filled out their brackets and are closely watching the college basketball tournaments for fun or small wagers.
But it can be a problem for those who place much higher bets that threaten their finances and families. Between the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics, and now March Madness, sports fans couldn’t be happier.
“If you enjoy live sports, it's a great period of time," Catherine Mibaum with the Finger Lakes Problem Gambling Resource Center said. "But if you're struggling with your gambling habits, the last few weeks and the coming weeks might be an extra hard period of time.”
Mibaum said the advent of mobile sports betting has generated increased interest in their services. Mibaum said in 2025 alone, New Yorkers gambled $26 billion, and some of those wagers weren’t disposable income.
“If somebody is spending money that is really earmarked for a different activity, you're starting to put your ability to pay your bills in jeopardy or your mortgage in jeopardy,” Mibaum said.
Nancy Nissen, an attorney with the Tully Rinckey law firm, said other issues can arise when people don't know what others are spending money on.
“The financial infidelity is really intolerable to people that don't know what the other person is spending their money on," Nissen said. "I've had situations where somebody has cashed out their 401K, and the other person didn't know and spent it.”
She said spouses are increasingly hiding their credit card debt, whether it’s from gambling or shopping.
"What I have seen is that the ability to amass debt is so much quicker with online gambling. What I'm seeing is so much more debt than I saw before,” Nissen said.
Nissen added that even if couples keep their money separate, it’s still considered marital funds that must be reported to the other person. Mibaum said their Take a Pause campaign encourages gamblers to consider how taking a break might help them and their families.
The New York hopeline for problem gambling, alcohol, drugs, or suicide is 877-8-HOPE NY. March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month.
