Inspector General’s Oversight of Gaming

 

Gaming, gambling and wagering, and the services which accompany its many forms, is a multi-billion-dollar enterprise in New York State comprised of multiple, diverse industries spanning the entire geographic stretch of the state and reflecting wide distinctions in operations - from the racetracks of Central New York to Powerball sales happening at the edge of the Atlantic shores. The New York State Gaming Commission (Commission) regulates and provides oversight for these industries. More specifically, the industries overseen by the Commission include: charitable gaming, commercial casinos, Class III Indian gaming, video lottery gaming, horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering, the State Lottery, interactive fantasy sports, and mobile sports wagering. In order to ensure the absence of any self-dealing, conflict, or other fraud in the Commission’s execution of its responsibilities, on June 18, 2021, the duties and responsibilities of the former Office of the Gaming Inspector General were transferred to and encompassed by the Offices of the New York State Inspector General (“OIG”). Accordingly, since that date, the New York State Inspector General has specific statutory authority to receive and investigate complaints from any source regarding allegations of corruption, fraud, criminal activity, conflicts of interest or abuse in the Commission and to undertake proactive initiatives aimed at preventing, eliminating, and/or detecting such concerns. The Inspector General, Lucy Lang, has designated Lisa Lee, as the Deputy Inspector General for Gaming. 

Lisa Lee has extensive experience spanning more than 20 years directing and managing highly sensitive and complex investigations into fraud, waste, and abuse in government. She most recently served as the Gaming Inspector General for the NYS Gaming Commission.

In June 2021, the Office of the Gaming Inspector General (“OGIG”) was brought under the umbrella of the Offices of the State Inspector General (“OSIG”). Prior to joining OSIG/OGIG, she worked in several Inspector General’s offices, including, those with oversight in health care, housing, and sanitation. At the Health and Hospitals Corporation, she served as the Deputy Inspector General for nine years and was responsible for supervising and conducting investigations for the multibillion-dollar public benefit corporation. She also worked for the New York City Department of Investigation’s Inspector General’s Office for the Housing Development Corporation and Sanitation, where she pursued corruption, misconduct and other violations of law, city and agency rules, regulations and ethical code of conduct. She began her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney for the Kings County District Attorney’s Office.

Ms. Lee graduated cum laude with a Bachelors of Science, Criminal Justice Planning and Administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and obtained a Juris Doctor from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University.