NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A4375
SPONSOR: Vanel TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to gaming disorders
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends Section 1.03 of the mental hygiene law to define gaming
disorder.
JUSTIFICATION:
As more and more New Yorkers play video games for extended periods,
mental health professionals, parents, educators and legislators are
becoming alarmed at the rate of students and young adults that have
exhibited signs of extreme addiction to video games. Contrary to popular
belief, video game addiction or gaming disorder can affect all age
groups and genders. On May 25, 2019, the World Health Organization voted
to adopt "gaming disorder" as a behavioral addiction in its Interna-
tional Classification of Diseases. Although 97 percent of teen boys and
83 percent of teen girls play video games, the WHO has listed the crite-
ria as someone with an inability to stop playing video games. This means
they are unable to stop when it interferes with family relationships,
school, work, and even sleep. They do not include the amount of time
played because of the prevalence of console, computer, and mobile
gaming. The Video Gaming Disorder Bill would have New York State recog-
nize gaming addiction as a disorder under the mental hygiene law.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: S1545 Comrie/ A2625 Vanel 2022: S3740
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
N/A.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4375
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 4, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. VANEL -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Mental Health
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to gaming disorders
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 1.03 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding
2 a new subdivision 60 to read as follows:
3 60. "Gaming disorder" means a disorder due to addictive behavior, as
4 defined in the most recent edition of the international classification
5 of diseases (ICD), published by the World Health Organization.
6 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05069-01-5
