[MUSIC PLAYING] The reality of it is it's not about the money.

It really isn't.

It's about the rush.

Hidden addiction, the high stakes of youth gambling, and what's fueling Long Island's growing betting problem.

Plus-- There's a reset, and they're looking at what they can do to make malls more successful.

Mall makeovers.

The new trend on Long Island, transforming shopping hubs into open-air experiences.

And let's go to Northport.

From food to the arts and shopping, we'll help you plan a staycation.

It's Your Business Long Island.

I'm Newsday TV's Macy Egeland.

We're helping you better navigate your financial life by focusing on your money.

From Montauk to Wall Street, we begin with Long Island home prices still rising.

The median sale price for single-family homes in Nassau in March was $849,000.

That is 4% higher than March of last year, according to One Key MLS.

In Suffolk County, the price rose 6.9% to $700,000.

Newsday business reporter Jonathan LaMantia says the island is struggling with low inventory, which is keeping those prices higher.

- Buyers are struggling right now.

We've been seeing, you know, inflation on the rise.

Mortgage rates have been stubbornly around 6.5%.

They haven't really fallen yet.

So until Long Island sees more houses hit the market and a little bit more supply for buyers to, I guess, put more pressure on sellers to accept a deal, that's what's really giving sellers a lot of power in this market.

Wall Street bonuses hit a new record high.

Bonuses totaled $49.2 billion last year, according to numbers released in March.

That's up 9% from 2024.

The average per employee hit a record $246,000 and an extra $900 on top of that.

So why does this matter to the island's economy?

Well, real estate professionals say higher Wall Street bonuses can help boost the East End's luxury real estate market.

Only in Newsday, Long Island defense contractors are expecting a boom in orders due to the war with Iran.

Now, Long Island, together with Brooklyn and Queens, is home to more than 400 defense contractors that employ 25,000 people and generate up to $10 billion in economic activity each year.

We visited CPI Aero, Inc.

in Edgewood.

It supplies Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and others with complex structural assemblies for planes, drones, and missiles.

The company says it was already seeing a surge in orders before Operation Epic Fury in Iran.

"We get insight into the demand signals from the government and from our direct prime customers.

Some of them are talking about 4x, 7x, could be 10x increases in defense spending in certain product areas to basically rebuild the magazine depth or the stores of the weapon systems that are needed as they get used up.

Newsday Business Reporter James T. Madore says the new defense contracts won't be awarded for at least several months, but when they are, they could be a boost to the local economy.

When companies on Long Island get contracts to make parts for the Pentagon, it has a direct positive impact on our economy.

And not only in terms of the jobs and the wages people are earning in the industry, but also all the suppliers that provide material and services to these aerospace and defense manufacturers.

Long Island has a long history of supplying and supporting the Department of Defense.

We all remember when airplanes were made here on Long Island at Grumman, at Sperry, at Fairchild, at Republic.

And a lot of times people think because we don't make airplanes anymore on Long Island, we're not important to the defense industry.

And that's not true.

We make so many components that go into submarines, aircraft carriers, fighter jets, Army vehicles.

In fact, Long Island is home to the fifth largest cluster of aerospace and defense manufacturers in America.

Gambling is big business, and lately betting apps have made it easy to place wagers instantly, chase losses, and keep gambling.

And that is helping to fuel addiction.

Doug Geed takes a look at the toll the habit is taking on some Long Islanders.

You don't win in gambling ever, right, especially as a compulsive gambler.

When you do win, it's just, you know, just a loan for a future loss.

I'm in $15,000 of debt right now.

Probably lost over $100,000 in my gambling time.

Their stories are shocking, compelling, and unfortunately all too common in the world of compulsive gambling.

Every dollar I could get my hands on, I was gambling.

Ben is 21 years old.

He started gambling heavily at 16.

I had nine apps where I would get an advance on my paycheck.

By the age of 19, 20, I have all my credit cards maxed out.

I had two loans.

I've never been addicted to drugs.

I'm not a drinker.

This was my high.

Meanwhile, Rob's compulsive gambling surfaced much later in life.

He was 56 when his addiction took control of him.

The reality of it is it's not about the money.

It really isn't.

It's about the rush.

For the state, though, many say it is all about the money.

Since online sports betting was legalized in 2021, New York has collected nearly $4 billion in tax revenues.

Last year alone, Albany received 1.3 billion.

And those numbers may continue to grow.

Online gamblers in New York set a national record in 2025, placing $26 billion worth of bets.

- The online stuff is a big problem.

It's just there 24/7 on my phone.

I can do it from the comfort of my own home, from the bathroom, from my office.

Vinny, along with Ben and Rob, are all members of Gamblers Anonymous.

They credit the 12-step program with ending the nightmare they were living.

They also say since online betting was legalized, the number of people at their group's weekly meetings have increased four or five times, with the bulk of newcomers in their 20s.

HEIKO GANZER, Clinical Social Worker, New York City, MN, "Somebody's always out of money, and very quickly, that would be a big red flag."

Heiko Ganzer is a clinical social worker who treats all kinds of addictions, including gambling.

"It can be beat, and the success rate can be very high.

But if you're gonna do it on yourself, it's just not generally gonna happen."

>> Rob agrees, saying one of the main reasons Gambler's Anonymous is so successful is people sharing their stories and offering support to one another.

>> To quote somebody in program, when they hold up their phone and they go, "This is the devil, and the apps are the devil's crack."

>> Joining me now to talk more about this growing problem is Newsday TV's Doug Geed and clinical social worker and counselor Heiko Ganzer.

Thank you both for being here.

We appreciate your time on this topic.

Doug, we want to start with you.

What did you uncover in your reporting on this topic?

I think two things jumped out at me, Macy.

Number one, and this is really why I wanted to do this project, I don't think there's very little attention on this issue.

I think people don't realize there is such a thing as gambling addiction.

You know, alcoholism, drug addiction, huge issues obviously that destroy lives, get a lot of attention.

Gambling not so much.

And I wonder if there's, I guess sympathy is the right word, if there's any empathy for people who have a gambling addiction, for alcoholics, people with drug addictions.

I think people get it more like, okay, there's a chemical dependency there with gambling.

I think the attitude might be, well, just stop.

Just stop losing money.

So that I took away from, and that message has to get out there, too, that it is a very serious disorder.

- Yeah, I think some people, maybe you just don't see it often.

It's easier to hide.

- Exactly.

- So we'll talk about that.

Heiko, we want to get over to you.

You help people struggling with gambling addiction.

Sounds like there's some growing concern about youth gambling skyrocketing because of these betting apps just really making it so easy, so accessible.

- Youth gambling has increased substantially over the years that I've been working with this and I've been working in the area of gambling.

We know that if a person gambles before the age of 14, that the likelihood of them becoming a problem gambler is higher, that's an important factor.

And so, you know, you look at the phones, moms and dads, don't be afraid to look at your kids' phones.

- So, Doug, you spoke to a couple people who have been dealing with this addiction issue, including a young man.

Was it difficult to get people to open up about this problem?

- It was, yeah.

I thought this project would take me a couple weeks.

It's more like six or seven weeks.

I went through Long Island Gamblers Anonymous, phenomenal group.

We only use first names, so Rob was an enormous help.

He did find the two people you saw, the silhouetted interviews.

That took a while to get them to come forward, and of course, they wanted, you know, not to be identified, finding that person willing to speak on camera, that was the holdup.

And I really tried to get a woman too, because I think people with gambling addiction, you know, they think of the cigar chomping guy who goes to the racetracks all the time.

>> Sure.

But women, you know, are subject to this as well.

>> Heiko, what are some of the treatments that you've seen work for an issue like this?

And what are the success rates?

Are we seeing improvement, help for these people dealing with this?

>> Certainly the 12 steps and going to a meeting and getting support from other people who have the same problem is the first and the most prominent modality that is helpful to the gamblers.

- Okay.

- Then we have other types of issues that we can use to help depending on the person and what's happened to them in the past.

For example, cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT.

You know, you can sort of help to change distorted thinking and develop problem solving skills.

- Doug, you spoke to a couple of people, as we mentioned, heard their stories.

Was there anything that stuck out to you?

- They're all very, very impactful.

I, you know, probably Ben, the young man, 21 years old.

He is eight years younger than my youngest child, so I just kept looking him as if he was my son.

21 years old, started gambling at 16, got great grades all throughout school, head of the student council, coach of the soccer team, and his life was virtually destroyed.

But the resilience and his attitude now was just very uplifting.

And he talks about how all of them are walking right on the edge of a cliff where their whole life could be destroyed.

But his attitude was very impactful to me.

- An important thing to mention for sure as we're talking about how this is a problem affecting a lot more people, and not just the addicts themselves, their friends, their families.

So Doug and Heiko, thank you both for being here to discuss this important topic.

We appreciate your time on this.

You can read more about gambling addiction on Long Island and find resources to get help on our website, newsday.com.

We are watching some major mall makeovers here on Long Island.

Outdoor shopping centers are leading a retail resurgence.

Newsday TV's Andrew Ehinger has more.

Dating back to the 1950s, Long Islanders have had a love affair with shopping malls, a haven of convenience, and later, some might say, culture and fashion.

When the first big malls on the island were built, they were outdoor walkable shopping centers that were later transformed into indoor climate control mazes.

But with the 21st century, the retail industry changed.

E-commerce took hold, reducing foot traffic and needed profits in many malls.

This is sad to see a mall like this.

This is indicative of you lose your big box, which is the draw.

These stores can't survive.

Retail real estate expert David Pennetta from Cushman Wakefield recently walked with Newsday through the Broadway Commons.

The Hicksville Mall, built in 1956, has seen better days, and its new owners are now planning a $175 million rebirth.

If given local government approval, it will transform back to its open-air shopping routes with a new mix of unique stores, restaurants, and activity experience-based tenants called The Shops on Broadway.

There is a reset, and they're looking at what they can do to make malls more successful.

What they're doing here is going to be a success.

The malls are going for what they're calling more of an upscale mix.

Newsday business reporter Tory Parrish says some indoor malls still have their place.

In fact, Roosevelt Field, she says, is classified as the highest tier of malls by an industry group, though some other indoor malls on the island are still trying to define themselves.

The transformation into experience-based retail stores that can't be replicated online or outdoor shopping centers is a growing trend.

"The thought is that you can get into where you need to go quickly.

If I only want to go into Sephora, I can park right in front of Sephora, go in Sephora and come right out."

This particular location really sat fallow for about 20 years, where no improvements were made.

- The indoor SunVet Mall in Holbrook, which closed several years ago, has recently emerged from a $93 million full renovation into a completely different shopping experience.

- What would you call this kind of mall?

An open air supermarket anchored shopping center.

Jon Cohen from Blumenfeld Development Group says the outdoor transformation into the Shops at SunVent has been a success.

Stores like Whole Foods, Nordstrom Rack and Shake Shack, he says, help complement each other and keep shoppers coming back.

It's much improved.

It's a great shopping experience for the local residents.

And though there are some who reminisce about the old-style interior mall that was here, there are lots of folks we've spoken to who say what's here now is a major improvement.

It's very modern.

It's outside.

Every shop is on an exterior entrance.

I think the layout is fine.

I think it's, you know, this store will definitely bring more people to shop in this shopping center, I do believe.

Time and register receipts will tell if Long Island mall owners bet right.

In Holbrook, Andrew Ehinger, Newsday TV.

Hampton's farmers and residents are upset about the sudden clear cutting of woods by developers, and now town officials are considering a new land disturbance ordinance.

Newsday TV's Virginia Huie reports.

- I love this place.

- Farmer May Zegarelli calls the East End a special gem of Long Island with its lush farmland, quaint produce stands, and bucolic views.

So when a developer cut down trees on land next to her ocean fog farm in Eastport to expand a mobile home park, Zegarelli was alarmed.

- Land clearing, and of course, for us as farmers, it does impact us because the whole wind break is no longer there.

So when we have really high winds in March, it does cause us grave delays because we're unable to get certain seedlings into the ground.

- Zegarelli is not the only one with concerns.

Other East End residents are complaining about sudden clear-cutting of woods by developers to construct new homes.

They feel they're losing the rural landscapes of their neighborhoods.

- It doesn't fit into our community.

We like seeing that bucolic type of views where we have trees and farmland together.

- The situation caught the attention of Southampton Town officials, and now they're weighing a new land disturbance ordinance aimed at limiting clear-cutting.

- This law would allow us to have the ability to require a permit structure to require residents or property owners or developers to get a permit to clear.

- Democratic Councilman Michael Iassilli, one of the bill's sponsors, says he received many complaints from residents who feel their neighborhoods are being whittled down to make way for new development, or so-called McMansions.

- This is a code that tries to cover many things and doesn't cover any of them well.

- Councilwoman Cyndi McNamara, the board's only Republican member, opposes the measure.

She says it's full of loopholes and more red tape for residents and contractors.

- So to add a whole 'nother level of permitting, because people aren't complying with the permits that we already have in place, it just seems, you know, another layer of government that, you know, people are just as likely to ignore because now we're making the process even more difficult and more expensive.

- The council is expected to vote on the measure in May.

- You wanna see trees, you want it to feel rural still.

And I think that this still protects some of that nature that's around us.

- For Newsday TV, I'm Virginia Huie.

- We'll spend the day in a picture perfect seaside village on our North shore.

Let's go to North Port with Newsday's Carissa Kellman.

Nestled along Long Island's Gold Coast, North Port is known for its charming walkable Main Street.

It's a place that creates memories.

I have the fondest memories of taking acting classes here at the John W. Engleman Theatre when I was younger, where you can see professional Broadway shows right here on Long Island.

- And if you're looking for a staycation spot, the Northport Hotel sits directly across from the Engelman Theater and offers the perfect spot on Main Street.

- We want people to walk in from the street and feel refreshed and kind of transported.

- A boutique hotel with a bar and restaurant and dishes that keep people coming back.

This is basically like an art piece.

This is beautiful.

- Thank you.

- Tell me about the inspiration behind this seasonal menu.

- We're getting into the warmer weather.

We love the tropical flavors of the salmon.

The halibut dish is something that never changes on our menu.

People love it so much that we'd have a revolt if we took it off.

The octopus itself, we braise it for a couple of hours.

- It all sounds delicious, and these desserts are beautiful, too.

- This one is white chocolate and blueberry bread pudding.

We've been dragging this recipe around with us every day, we've been for 30 plus years.

- Northport's many small businesses are part of what makes it feel so personal.

- Einstein's Attic is really like shopping in someone's attic.

This was my favorite kid's store when I was young.

I loved coming here and picking out a toy.

I want it now.

- And along Main Street, no two shops are exactly the same.

- Why did we choose Northport?

That's an easy one.

There's no town, in my opinion, like it.

There are a lot of shops, but we all have something a little bit different.

One of the things that we're known for here is our custom work as far as florals.

It's a very popular store for gift giving.

You know, we have a very large creative section where people can learn how to watercolor themselves.

And there's actually a farm in the back of the store.

Tell me about what food you can purchase here.

Yeah, so these are all prepared meals raised by Eight Hands Farm.

No seed oils, all organic, local produce, just pop it in your oven.

I might grab one myself.

- And when it comes to winding down, there's no shortage of spots to gather.

- They're really known for IPAs, East Coast style, hazy, juicy, typically.

Oops, I hopped my pants is our flagship beer.

We just started making cocktails and we have wine.

Families, dogs, college kids, babies, grandparents, you could bring everybody here.

That's the beauty of Northport and this hidden beer garden.

And at the end of it all, everything leads back to the harbor.

Whether you're painting, petting dogs, or just people watching, there is no better place to relax than at the Northport Harbor.

For Newsday TV, I'm Carissa Kellman.

So many great spots, love Northport.

Time now for a look at the jobs that you do.

Ken Buffa takes us behind the scenes building docks in this month's LI Works.

You've probably seen your fair share of docks on Long Island, but have you ever wondered how are these built?

Well... - Grab your lumber.

We're building docks.

Steven Kitzen.

I own Kitzen Construction, a dock building company, and I love what I do because every day we get to see the most beautiful properties on Long Island and make them more resilient for all of our homeowners that we work with.

Kitzen says to be a dock builder, knowing lumber, knowing your own physical strengths helps out.

- Basic carpentry skills are helpful.

You've got to be willing to do some heavy lifting and heavy labor, and you've got to love being outside.

No hiding from the elements.

- And if the weather doesn't get you, let's not forget in some cases you're literally going shoulder to shore to get your work done.

We're very dependent on the weather and the tides.

So there could be days where we start at 6.30 in the morning and, you know, we get out early.

Or there's days where, you know, we have to catch the tide at the end of the day and we'll be working down until the sun goes down just to try and, you know, work around the weather.

- Kitzen says the good news is laboring could be temporary, and a dock building job not only goes wide, but goes tall, meaning promotions are very common so long as you're willing to grow, too.

- But as you become a foreman and a higher-up supervisor, you definitely need to know the different types of materials, different types of wood, different types of vinyl, different types of sheet pile, different fill applications.

- So we're going to build this thing near the water, right?

- One of the most fun jobs, working the heavy machinery.

I could do anything with this thing.

This is a piece of cake, man.

This is the best job in the whole place.

Jokes aside, Kitzen says dock building is not a one-man job.

It takes a team to turn the time.

No one guy could do it on his own.

We have operators, we have laborers, we have dock builders that are physically on the ground, all different sorts of equipment that we work with.

So it's definitely a team job that, you know, you can't do it by yourself.

- But if you're willing to try your will against the waves, then this job does have its upsides.

When we get done with the job, it's really gratifying to look back and see what something was when we started to what it is at the end.

- Ken Buffa, Newsday TV.

Now we turn to Warrior Ranch, a special place helping Long Island's heroes and horses.

Photojournalist Chris Ware continues Newsday's exclusive series, Volunteers of Long Island.

My name is Eileen Shanahan and volunteering to me is very important because I feel it's our obligation to our community to give back to those who serve, protect, and defend us every single day.

I volunteer at Warrior Ranch Foundation where we provide a safe haven of health and well-being for veterans, first responders, and horses in need.

Warrior Ranch began in mine and my husband's backyard with our rescue horse, Warrior, and it has since grown over the years into six beautiful acres here in Calverton, and to date, we have served over 400 veterans and first responders.

I will take Ranger out through the back paddock.

You'll take Sully out through the back paddock, and you'll take Chevy out through the back paddock.

- The mission at Warrior Ranch is twofold.

First is the veterans and first responders, and we focus on those that have PTS.

The second part of our mission is we help horses in need.

We rescue, retrain, and repurpose horses to get them some forever homes.

The reason I started Warrior Ranch, very simply, I love my country and I love horses, and this was a way to give back.

Here at Warrior Ranch, what we do is we teach natural horsemanship to our veterans and first responders.

It's the beginning of self-awareness and you gain self-confidence, you gain self-esteem, you overcome fears, and it's a form of therapy.

Working with these horses definitely helps people with depression and anxiety.

This is the veterans and first responders place.

This is their ranch.

Come here, they take care of it, and it's just been amazing.

It's been an amazing, amazing journey.

It is America's heroes rescuing America's icon, a second chance for both human and horse.

- Beautiful animals and a great story.

That's Your Business Long Island.

Coming up next month, the latest housing trends.

Remember, for the latest local business news and how it impacts you, go to newsday.com.

I'm Macy Egland, thanks for watching.

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