New York State Legalized Gambling
Posted By admin On 31/03/22- New York State Legalized Sports Betting
- New York State Legalized Gambling July 2020
- New York State Legalized Gambling
After New Jersey's Supreme Court victory in May 2018, any state that wishes can legalize sports betting.
Senate Bill 7900 sought to legalize sports betting at state casinos on the condition that federal law changes to allow states such as New York to regulate sports wagers This legislation would have permitted online and mobile wagering, authorized the Gaming Commission to establish regulations and called for a tax rate of 8.5%. The judges said it is gambling, barred by New York’s Constitution. 2015 when then-New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman sent cease-and-desist letters to DraftKings and FanDuel. New York has legalized live horse racing, off-track betting, a state lottery, tribal casinos, racinos and commercial casinos. What is the minimum gambling age in New York? The minimum New York gambling age is 18 years to play the lottery or bet on horses. The constitutional question focuses on Article I, §9, which regulates gambling in New York state. In 2013, the Legislature passed an amendment to Article I, §9 (later ratified by the voters).
At the same time various state lawmakers are considering sports betting legislation, Congress is too. Senators Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and now-retired Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, co-introduced comprehensive sports betting legislation at the end of 2018. On Sept. 27, 2018 the House Judiciary Committee held a formal hearing on the topic.
The dual track of proposals -- state and federal -- have increased in frequency since the start of 2017.
To measure the change in the landscape, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of how likely it is for each jurisdiction to offer full-scale legal sports betting. A brief synopsis for the active states is included, with updates to follow.
Last updated on November 3, 2020.
Already there
1. Nevada
No longer the only state to permit a wide variety of legal sports betting, Nevada is a mature market that has existed for decades. Given its long history in successfully offering regulated sports wagering, many states might look to Nevada for best practices.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 223
Population: 3,034,392 (2,246,259 21+)
2. Delaware
On June 5, 2018, Delaware moved to offer single-game betting on a number of different sports at three casinos in the state. Expanded sports wagering options could take place at additional locations or online. Delaware's authorization of what Gov. John Carney described as 'a full-scale sports gaming operation' happened less than a month after the Supreme Court ruled that the federal law restricting single-game betting to Nevada was unconstitutional.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 3
Population: 967,171 (726,161 21+)
3. New Jersey
On June 11, 2018, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the sports betting bill that had passed the previous week. A William Hill sportsbook at Monmouth Park took the first bets on Thursday, June 14 at 10:30 a.m. ET. Gov. Murphy was the first customer in line. The Borgata in Atlantic City booked sports bets 30 minutes later. Other sportsbooks in New Jersey opened soon thereafter. For example, FanDuel's first sportsbook at the Meadowlands opened its doors on July 14.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams and collegiate events held within the state
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 9
Population: 8,908,520 (6,634,683 21+)
4. Mississippi
Two casinos owned by MGM Resorts booked their first sports bets in Mississippi on Aug. 1, 2018. Mississippi enacted a new law in 2017 that allowed for sports betting pending a favorable decision by the Supreme Court. In June 2018, the Mississippi Gaming Commission adopted implementing regulations that require all betting to take place in person, with mobile wagering to be considered later.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 29
Population: 2,986,530 (2,153,795 21+)
5. West Virginia
On Aug. 30, 2018, West Virginia became the fifth state to offer legal and regulated sports betting when the Hollywood Casino -- a sportsbook owned by Penn National -- opened its doors. The move came six months after the West Virginia legislature passed a new bill with the West Virginia Lottery Commission serving as the chief regulator.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 5
Population: 1,805,832 (1,375,788 21+)
6. New Mexico
On Oct. 16, 2018, the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel booked its first sports bet in partnership with Nevada-based USBookmaking. Although New Mexico has not passed any new sports betting legislation since the Supreme Court's decision, the move by the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel was made via a gaming compact with the state. According to Nedra Darling, spokeswoman at the Department of the Interior's Office of Indian Affairs -- the federal agency in Washington, DC that oversees tribal gaming compacts -- the New Mexico compacts permit 'any or all forms of Class III Gaming,' a category in the federal regulations that specifically includes '[a]ny sports betting and pari-mutuel wagering.'
Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 32
Population: 2,095,428 (1,529,540 21+)
7. Pennsylvania
The Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course booked the first legal sports bets in Pennsylvania in mid-November 2018. The move came just over a year after Gov. Tom Wolf signed a new sports betting bill as part of a broad legislation push that included online poker and DFS. The October 2017 bill became effective after the Supreme Court's May 2018 ruling upending the federal ban on single-game betting outside of Nevada.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 12
Population: 12,807,060 (9,645,705 21+)
8. Rhode Island
The Twin River Casino in Lincoln opened its doors for legal sports betting on Nov. 26, 2018. The move came five months after Gov. Gina Raimondo signed the state budget, which included language allowing sports betting. Only two locations would be allowed to offer sports betting under the law, with the state's lottery providing regulatory oversight. In early 2019, the law was tweaked to provide for mobile betting.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 2
Population: 1,057,315 (800,838 21+)
9. Arkansas
On July 1, 2019, the Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort booked the first legal sports bets in Arkansas. Two other retail locations opened sportsbooks in the subsequent months. Sports betting is regulated by the Arkansas Racing Commission.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 3
Population: 3,013,825 (2,191,256 21+)
10. New York
On July 16, 2019, the first legal sports bets were placed in New York. J. Gary Pretlow -- a New York lawmaker and chair of the state's racing and wagering committee -- was among the first to place a wager at the Rivers Casino in Schenectady. The opening of a legal sportsbook came six years after New York passed a law to allow sports betting at four on-site locations, all in upstate New York. After lying dormant for years, the law was revived after the Supreme Court ruling in 2018 and the issuance of regulations earlier this year. The current law does not allow for mobile wagering.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 28
Population: 19,542,209 (14,724,807 21+)
11. Iowa
Legal sports betting arrived in Iowa on Aug. 15, with multiple operators all opening their doors to customers on the first day. The move came three months after Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed into a law a comprehensive bill to legalize sports betting in the Hawkeye State. Operators must pay a $45,000 licensing fee and there is a 6.75 percent tax on revenue. The new law permits mobile wagering. Betting on college sports is permitted, but certain kinds of in-game prop bets involving college games are banned. The new law bestows the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission with authority to regulate sports betting.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: No prop betting on in-state college athletics
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 23
Population: 3,156,145 (2,286,374 21+)
12. Oregon
Legal sports betting returned to Oregon on Aug. 27 after a long hiatus, with the first bets booked on-site at the Chinook Winds Casino Resort in Lincoln City. Oregon is one of a small number of states that already had a law on the books permitting some forms of sports betting, so the resumption of wagering did not require the legislature to pass any new law or have the governor amend an existing tribal-state compact. In mid-October, mobile sports betting arrived in Oregon too, with the state-run lottery overseeing the launch of a new website and app.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None at the Chinook Winds Casino Resort, but sportsbook operated by the Oregon Lottery does not permit betting on games involving in-state colleges
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 10
Population: 4,190,713 (3,167,912 21+)
13. Indiana
Legal sports betting opened up at a number of locations in Indiana on Sept. 1. The Indiana Gaming Commission oversees all sports betting regulations and has issued licenses to operators across the state. Wagering on both college and pro sports is permitted, but betting on esports and high school sports is banned. Indiana's new law allows for both mobile and in-person wagering. Regulations permit sports leagues or colleges to request 'to utilize a geofence to prohibit wagers at the location of a particular sporting event.'
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: No prop betting on in-state college athletics
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 14
Population: 6,691,878 (4,842,337 21+)
14. New Hampshire
Governor Chris Sununo placed the ceremonial first legal sports wager -- on the New England Patriots -- in New Hampshire on Dec. 30, 2019. The state's lottery is in charge of regulatory of regulatory oversight. Both retail and mobile sports betting will be permitted on a wide variety of sports, although no betting on New Hampshire's in-state colleges is allowed.
Type of wagering permitted: Mobile
Notable prohibitions: No betting on in-state colleges
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 0
Population: 1,356,458 (1,042,882 21+)
15. Illinois
Legal sports betting arrived in Illinois on March 9, 2020. The move came less than a year after the Illinois legislature passed a broad gaming bill that allowed for both online and in-person sports betting. With Governor J.B. Pritzker's signature, the new law also provided for betting on-location at venues such as Wrigley Field. Operators and certain data providers are required to obtain a license under the new law.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: No wagering on minor leagues or Illinois college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 10
Population: 12,741,080 (9,391,158 21+)
16. Michigan
Legal sports betting in Michigan commenced on March 11, 2020, with two Detroit-area casinos launching on the same day. The move came less than three months after Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the 'Lawful Sports Betting Act' into law. The new law provides for wagering on a wide variety of sports, including college contests.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 27
Population: 9.995,915 (7,428,72721+)
17. Montana
Legal sports betting arrived in Montana in March 2020. The move came after Governor Steve Bullock formally signed into law a 28-page bill that brought sports wagering to Big Sky country via the state's lottery. Governor Bullock cited the Montana Lottery's 'proven track record of responsibility and integrity' when signing the bill.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 13
Population: 1,062,305 (793,151 21+)
18. Colorado
May 1, 2020 marked the launch of legal sports betting in Colorado, with multiple operators allowing residents to open accounts online and place wagers. The move came less than six months after Colorado voters -- by a narrow margin -- approved a ballot measure that would provide 'for the regulation of sports betting through licensed casinos.' Both mobile and retail sports betting are permitted. Tax revenue from sports betting will help fund various state water projects.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 35
Population: 5,695,564 (4,210,663.00 21+)
19. Washington, D.C.
In June 2020, the D.C. Lottery launched its 'GameBetDC' platform allowing consumers 'to wager while in the District on major sports worldwide' via computer or mobile device. Sports betting in nation's capital followed the passage of the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018 and a Congressional review period during which time Congress did not formally object. The Office of Lottery and Gaming provides regulatory oversight of all sports wagering in D.C.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions:No betting on games involving colleges located in D.C.
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019):None
Population: 705,749
20. Tennessee
Regulated sports wagering -- all online -- launched on November 1, 2020 in Tennessee with four licensed operators offering a wide variety of options. The 'Tennessee Sports Gaming Act' permits statewide mobile sports betting without any brick-and-mortar anchor. As such, there are no in-person retail sports betting locations in the state. Subject to an exception, Tennessee's new law requires all licensed operators to 'exclusively use official league data for purposes of live betting.'
Type of wagering permitted: Mobile only
Notable prohibitions:None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019):None
Population: 6,829,174
On-deck circle
21. North Carolina
On July 26, 2019, Governor Roy Cooper signed into a law a bill to 'allow sports and horse race wagering on tribal lands,' with such betting designated as a 'Class III' gaming activity under the state compact. The new law permits betting on both college and professional sports, but all bettors must place their wagers in-person at one of two retail locations.
22. Washington
Governor Jay Inslee signed Washington's sports betting bill into law on March 25, 2020. The new law permits sports wagering at Class III tribal casinos in the state. Mobile sports wagering is not allowed statewide, but is permitted when on-site at a licensed tribal casino. Betting on an 'esports competition or event' is allowed, but the new law bans wagering on games involving in-state colleges or minor league professional events. The new bill delegates regulatory oversight to the Washington State Gambling Commission.
23. Virginia
After some back-and-forth between Governor Ralph Northam and the legislature, legalized sports wagering was approved in the Commonwealth of Virginia in April 2020. Online betting is allowed, but wagering is not permitted on Virginia-based college sports or certain youth sports.
24. Maryland
In November 2020, Maryland voters approved 'sports and events betting for the primary purpose of raising revenue for education' by about a 2-1 margin. A regulatory framework must be created by Maryland lawmakers before any sports wagering takes place. The Maryland referendum would potentially allow for both in-person and mobile sports betting throughout the state.
25. South Dakota
On November 3, 2020, voters in South Dakota approved a ballot measure permitting 'sports wagering in Deadwood.' Other tribal locations in South Dakota could see the arrival of regulated sports betting too. State lawmakers must now establish a regulatory apparatus and tax rate for legalized sports wagering.
26. Louisiana
In November 2020, voters in the vast majority of Louisiana's 64 parishes approved a ballot measure permitting 'sports wagering activities and operations.' As a result, regulated sports wagering could come to New Orleans and certain other cities as early as 2021. Lawmakers will be tasked with setting up a regulatory scheme during an upcoming state legislative session.
Moving toward legalization
All of these states have seen some degree of legislative activity towards the legalization of sports betting the past few years.
27. Oklahoma
In April 2020, two federally-recognized tribes reached agreement with Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt on new gaming compacts that include sports betting. On June 8, 2020, Governor Stitt announced that the Department of the Interior had approved the compacts, paving the way for sports betting to start in Oklahoma as soon as the 'compacts are published in the Federal Register.' A bipartisan group of state lawmakers, along with Oklahoma's attorney general, have expressed opposition to the expansion of sports betting in Oklahoma and the prospect of legalized sports wagering remains uncertain.
28. Maine
On the last day of the state's 2019 legislative session -- June 19 -- Maine lawmakers passed 'An Act to Ensure Proper Oversight of Sports Betting in the State.' Shortly thereafter, the governor vetoed the bill. The legislature could re-introduce the bill later.
29. Nebraska
On November 3, 2020, Nebraska voters approved certain amendments to its state constitution legalizing 'all games of chance.' If the new constitutional amendments are construed to include wagering on sporting events, legalized sports betting could arrive in Nebraska upon the establishment of certain regulations.
30. Connecticut
31. Kentucky
32. Massachusetts
33. Minnesota
34. Missouri
35. Kansas
36. South Carolina
37. California
39. Ohio
40. Arizona
41. Hawaii
42. Texas
New York State Legalized Sports Betting
43. Georgia
44. Vermont
45. Alabama
46. Florida
47. Alaska
48. Wyoming
No legalization activity ... yet
49-50. Idaho and Wisconsin
These states have not had any publicly-announced bills devoted to sports betting legalization.
Unlikely
51. Utah
Utah's anti-gambling stance is written into the state's constitution. Any change to existing state policy toward gambling would be a massive departure from decades of opposition to any form of gambling, including lottery tickets, table games and sports betting.
- Racing (1959), Lottery (1966), Off-track betting (1970), Tribal Casinos (1993), Racinos (2001), Commercial Casinos (2013)
- $4.2 billion
- $10.8 billion
- 18 for lottery and racing, 18-21 for casinos. No minimum age for charity gaming.
- New York bans smoking in all indoor businesses. It does not apply to tribal casinos.
- Horse racing is the only form of legalized online gambling in New York
New York Casino Locations: New York City, Hogansburg, Batavia, Yonkers, Hamburg, Farmington, Union Springs, Akwesasne, Monticello, Ozone Park, Saratoga Springs, Salamanca, Buffalo, Irving, Cuba, Niagara Falls, Nichols, Verona, Vernon and Chittenango. With 14 New York casinos, and more on the way, there are plenty of gambling options for residents and visitors.
New York gambling is one of the most profitable industries in the country. It’s lottery sales are in the $9 billion range each year. Resorts World is the most profitable slots-only New York casino in the country.
New York voters approved a massive gambling expansion in November 2013. This will add seven more New York casinos in resort corridors within the state. The licensing process began in 2015. There are already nine New York racinos and five Native American casinos.
New York also permits horse racing and charity gaming. There are four tracks that hold regular races. Several others continue with off-track betting to maintain racino status.
Paying Gambling Taxes in New York
Did you know that your gambling income is taxable? OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos has gathered everything you need to know about paying your gambling taxes straight from a Certified Public Accountant. For more information please visit our exclusive Gambling Taxes article.
New York Casinos Map & Guide
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Types of New York Online Gambling Allowed
The only form of legal online gambling New York is off-track betting on horses. TVG, TwinSpires, BetAmerica, and XpressBet all accept these types of bets. There are some restrictions on races held within New York. Those are off the board to encourage attendance at the tracks.
Daily fantasy sports are illegal in New York, according to State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. He declared the contests illegal in November 2015. DraftKings and FanDuel were ordered out of the state. These two sites decided to challenge the opinion. The courts issued a stay that permitted the companies to remain in the state. It seems that a decision has been made and DFS sites can legally operate in New York.
Online casinos, poker, and sports betting sites that accept New York players are not licensed. These websites are widely believed to be illegal in the state.
Types of Live New York Gambling
- Slots: Yes
- Blackjack: Yes
- Poker: Yes
- Craps/Roulette: Yes
- Horses: Yes
- Lottery: Yes
The New York Lottery is among the most profitable in the country. It sells instant games through scratch-offs and lotto drawings. There are statewide lotto games that include Take5, Win 4, and Pick 10. The New York Lottery also sells lotto tickets for interstate drawings. These include Mega Millions and Powerball. There are more than 18,000 lottery retailers in the state.
There are four New York racetracks that offer live racing; Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course, Yonkers Raceway, and Aqueduct Racetrack. Off-track betting and slots, video poker and electronic table games are also available at these venues. There are five other mostly-shuttered tracks that also offer New York racinos.
There are five Native American casinos in Upstate New York that offer casinos. These establishments are permitted to offer more casino games than the tracks. In addition to slots, video poker and electronic table games, these venues may offer live poker, craps, roulette, blackjack and other table games that use cards and are banked by the house. There are plenty of other New York casinos spread throughout the state that players can visit.
The only other form of gambling legal in New York is through charities. Raffles, bingo, and pull-tab games are permitted.
New York Gambling Laws
The New York Constitution only permits forms of gambling that are specifically legalized by voters. Other than that, New York gambling laws state that games of chance are illegal. Most gambling crimes are a misdemeanor in the state. Promoting gambling is a ClassE felony. The state attorney general of the U.S. Attorney’s Office may initiate charges against individuals or companies that commit crimes related to gambling.
New York gambling laws forbid sports pools and games determined by a material degree of chance. This is the language that daily fantasy sports sites are fighting. These companies claim that the outcome of daily fantasy sports contests is mostly skill and not any material degree related to chance.
The New York Constitution permits state lotteries, live horse racing, off-track betting, Native American casinos, and racinos. In 2013, voters approved the addition of seven resort New York casinos.
List of New York Casinos
New York State Legalized Gambling July 2020
There are four New York racetracks that offer live racing and race books, and six other racetracks that offer full casino services. There are other Native American New York casinos that are spread throughout the state, with plenty of casinos in Upstate New York.
Find the casino nearest to you by looking at our general guide below, or use our New York casinos map for more detailed directions.
Casino | Size | Address | Website |
---|---|---|---|
Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort – Hogansburg | 1,800 Slot Machines | 873 NY-37 | mohawkcasino.com |
Batavia Downs – Batavia | 785 Slot Machines | 8315 Park Rd. | www.bataviadownsgaming.com |
Del Lago Casino – Waterloo | 1,950 Slot Machines | 1133 State Route 414 | dellagoresort.com |
Empire City Casino – Yonkers | 5,300 Slot Machines | 810 Yonkers Ave. | www.empirecitycasino.com |
Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack – Farmington | 1,500 Slot Machines | 5857 NY-96 | www.fingerlakesgaming.com |
Hamburg Gaming – Hamburg | 900 Slot Machines | 5820 South Park Ave. | www.the-fairgrounds.com |
Lakeside Entertainment – Union Springs | 80 Slot Machines | 271 Cayuga St. | www.lakesidegaming.com |
Monticello Casino & Raceway – Monticello | 1,000 Slot Machines | 204 NY-17B | www.monticellocasinoandraceway.com |
Resorts World Casino – Jamaica | 3,000 Slot Machines | 110-00 Rockaway Blvd. | www.rwnewyork.com |
Resorts World Catskills – Monticello | 2,150 Slot Machines | 888 Resorts World Dr. | rwcatskills.com |
Rivers Casino & Resort – Schenectady | 1,150 Slot Machines | 1 Rush Street | riverscasinoandresort.com |
Saratoga Gaming and Raceway – Saratoga Springs | 1,700 Slot Machines | 342 Jefferson St. | www.saratogacasino.com |
Seneca Allegany Casino – Salamanca | 1,800 Slot Machines | 777 Seneca Allegany Blvd. | www.senecaalleganycasino.com |
Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino – Buffalo | 800 Slot Machines | 1 Fulton St. | www.senecabuffalocreekcasino.com |
Seneca Gaming – Irving | 650 Slot Machines | 11099 Erie Rd. | www.senecagames.com |
Seneca Gaming – Oil Spring | 110 Slot Machines | 5374 W Shore Rd. | www.senecagames.com |
Seneca Gaming – Salamanca | 250 Slot Machines | 768 Broad St. | www.senecagames.com |
Seneca Niagara Casino – Niagara Falls | 3,600 Slot Machines | 310 4th St. | www.senecaniagaracasino.com |
Tioga Downs – Nichols | 800 Slot Machines | 2384 W. River Rd. | www.tiogadowns.com |
Turning Stone Resort Casino – Verona | 2,000 Slot Machines | 5218 Patrick Rd. | www.turningstone.com |
Vernon Downs – Vernon | 800 Slot Machines | 4229 Stuhlman Rd. | www.vernondowns.com |
Yellow Brick Road Casino – Chittenango | 400 Slot Machines | 800 W. Genesee St. | www.yellowbrickroadcasino.com |
History of New York Gambling
Gambling in New York was first recorded in 1655. That is when a horse track at Newmarket located in the Hempstead Plains opened. That area is known as Queens today. Horseracing did not remain legal from that time, however, Belmont Park, one of the most well-known tracks in the world, opened in 1905 and has operated ever since.
Betting at Belmont Park did not become fully legal until 1959. It was the first form of legalized gambling in the modern era in New York.
A state lottery was created by voters in November 1966. It passed by more than a 60 percent margin. The first tickets were sold the following year. It has since raised more than $35 billion for the state’s public schools.
New York became the first state outside Nevada to permit off-track betting on horses. This type of wagering would become a staple in New York City. That local government opened more than 100 betting shops that accepted wagers on races across the country. These were a part of life in the largest city in America. TV shows like Seinfeld and Law and Order regularly featured these establishments. Regional casinos, including one at Aqueduct, cannibalized the revenues once enjoyed by New York’s OTBs.
The expansion of gambling machines to tracks like Aqueduct put an end to these businesses. The last New York OTB betting shop closed in 2010. There have been some private attempts to reopen the most profitable storefronts in recent years.
Online Gambling
New York was home to the most infamous online gambling bust in the world. Preet Bharara of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York filed indictments against the three largest U.S.-facing online poker rooms on April 15, 2011. This action shut down Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker. It ran PokerStars, the largest poker site in the world, out of the U.S. market. This generated $547 million in fines for the U.S. Government. The action was called Black Friday.
In November 2013, New York voters approved the addition of seven commercial casinos in the state. These licensees will be able to spread the same games as Upstate New York casinos.
Daily Fantasy Sports Dispute
In November 2015, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman determined that daily fantasy sports violated state law. FanDuel and DraftKings dispute this opinion. Both filed suit against the state for declaratory judgment. The case is working its way through the court system. In the meantime, the companies received a stay that allows them to remain in the New York market. Payment processors have run for the door while the legal battle continues.
New York Casinos & Gambling FAQ
New York has legalized live horse racing, off-track betting, a state lottery, tribal casinos, racinos and commercial casinos.
The minimum New York gambling age is 18 years to play the lottery or bet on horses. The minimum gambling age in New York for casinos is 18 years; unless alcohol is served, then it is 21 years. Charity gaming has no minimum age.
The only form of legal online betting in New York is off-track betting on horses.
TVG, TwinSpires, BetAmerica and XpressBet are all licensed to accept wagers in New York.
New York State Legalized Gambling
Racetracks with gaming licenses may spread slots, video poker and electronic table games.
The state’s tribal casinos and future commercial ones may spread slots, video poker, electronic table games, live poker, craps, roulette, blackjack, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, Pai Gow, baccarat and any other table game approved by regulators.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara of the Southern District of New York filed indictments against PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker on April 15, 2011. The charges were connected to illegal payment processing. The action put Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker out of business. Full Tilt was bailed by PokerStars through a $731 million settlement. Absolute Poker players and those that deposited through UltimateBet were stiffed.
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman published an opinion that daily fantasy sports sites are illegal in November 2015. FanDuel and DraftKings refute this assertion. The case is working its way through the court system. In the meantime, daily fantasy sports sites remain in the market.