New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang today released her office’s 2024 Annual Report on Gaming Commission Oversight, detailing a 59% year-over-year increase in complaints, highlighting her appointment of an Attorney-in-Charge of Gaming Matters, and recapping the expansion of the agency’s training efforts in order to promote transparency, integrity, and accountability across New York’s rapidly evolving gaming landscape.

“My office remains steadfast in its mission to protect the public interest across the full spectrum of the gaming industry, whether in community boardrooms, casino floors, horse racing tracks, or mobile sports wagering platforms,” said New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. “As the gaming footprint in New York State grows, so too does our responsibility to ensure that expansion is met with rigorous oversight and ethical guardrails.”

The 2024 Annual Report reveals that the Offices of the Inspector General (OIG) received 591 gaming-related complaints — a record high and a 59% increase over 2023. More than half of those stemmed from issues with mobile sports wagering (MSW) vendors, underscoring the urgent need for strong consumer protection and regulatory compliance in the digital gaming space.

As part of its statutory authority under Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law §131(7), OIG continued to strengthen its oversight tools and outreach initiatives. In 2024, the office conducted targeted trainings for Gaming Commission staff, including comprehensive sessions on laws, regulations, investigatory techniques, and the evolving roles and responsibilities of the Commission. These trainings served both newly onboarded staff and long-serving Commission employees.

Looking ahead, 2025 will see the launch of over two dozen in-person Corruption Awareness Trainings, to be delivered to more than 300 Commission employees working across 30+ facilities statewide. These sessions are designed to promote ethical awareness, reinforce reporting channels, and clarify OIG’s role in safeguarding public integrity.

Additional highlights of the 2024 report include:

• Continued monitoring of the downstate casino license application process, including close review of Community Advisory Committee appointments and their deliberations;
• Assessment of potential impacts surrounding the legalization of iGaming and sweepstakes gaming, with legislative developments and complaint trends under close watch;
• Deepening collaboration with the Gaming Commission and the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) to prevent and address problem gambling  — particularly as new data-reporting requirements for MSW operators take effect in March 2025;
• A warm farewell to former Deputy Inspector General for Gaming Lisa Lee, who retired in January 2025 following a distinguished public service career;
• The appointment of Rachel-Rebekah Brown as Attorney-in-Charge of Gaming Matters, a newly created leadership role aimed at advancing and coordinating OIG’s gaming oversight strategies.

Brown, a seasoned former Manhattan assistant district attorney with extensive investigative experience, steps into this leadership position at a time of transformation within the State’s gaming environment.

“Given the scope and scale of gaming in New York, it’s more important than ever that OIG maintain a visible, accessible presence to the public, to Commission licensees and vendors, and to other oversight partners throughout the state,” Lang continued. “I am grateful to Lisa Lee for her legacy of excellence and thrilled to welcome Rachel-Rebekah Brown to this critical new role.”

Gaming and wagering remain a multibillion-dollar enterprise in New York, with activities ranging from charitable gaming and horse racing to commercial casinos and MSW platforms. Since 2021, OIG has been tasked with receiving and investigating complaints and proactively preventing fraud, abuse, and conflicts of interest within the New York State Gaming Commission and its regulated entities.

Read the Inspector General’s full 2024 Annual Report on Gaming Oversight here.

The Offices of the New York State Inspector General: Fostering confidence in New York State government by promoting integrity and transparency through oversight of covered agencies, their employees, and those doing business with the State.

To report wrongdoing, call 1-800-DO-RIGHT (367-4448) or visit ig.ny.gov.

Follow the office’s work on social media at @NewYorkStateIG.