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Lindsey Riback, Albany Bureau Published 5:38 p.m. ET March 30, 2017 | Updated 14 hours ago

Tioga Downs officially opened its new gambling floor and poker room on Dec. 2, marking its first day as a full casino.(Photo: ANDREW THAYER / Staff Photo)Buy Photo

ALBANY New York now has more than a dozen casinos or racetracks with video-lottery terminals, so problem gambling is a growing concern.

To address the issue, the state on Thursday said it will create seven problem gambling resources centers across New York.

The state announced requests for proposals to provide up to $4.7 million in annual funding for gambling outreach, education and treatment services across the state. The funding will include $3.3 million allocated to create the resource centers.

This funding will help educate the public on gambling addiction and help ensure those in need of help receive access to the resources and treatment they need,Cuomo said in a statement.

The centers run by the organizations selected will be responsible for coordinating with local gambling facilities to provide information and referrals to patients.

The money for the centers is partially funded through $500 annual license fees that New York casinos must pay for each gambling table and slot machine in their facility.

Three upstate casinos are open, including Tioga Downs in Nichols, with a fourth set to open in the Catskills next year.

The fees from the casinos go into the "Commercial Gaming Revenue Fund," which was created in 2013 after the state legalized casino gambling at a November referendum.

The organizations picked to run the centers would get a five-year contract with state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.

The first two centers are expected to open in the Finger Lakes and the North Country in May 2018.

The governor also issued a proclamation Thursday as Problem Gambling Awareness Day in New York.

The full request to run the centers can be found atoasas.ny.gov/procurements/documents/StatewideProblemGamblingServicesRFP.FINAL033017.pdf

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More casinos, more problem gambling centers - Pressconnects - Press & Sun-Bulletin