Ny State Online Sports Betting

The gambling regulations timeline for NY Online Sports Betting is still very much a work in progress. Though many states including neighboring New Jersey and Pennsylvania have embraced things like online casinos and sports betting, New York online casinos. New York Sports Betting Sports betting is legal in New York due to a referendum approved by voters in 2013 permitting the state’s four upstate commercial casinos to operate retail sportsbooks pending a change in federal law. The Supreme Court took care of that with its landmark ruling against PASPA in.

All the major sports leagues (NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, MLS, WNBA) are headquartered in New York City, along with many large financial and media companies. This combination would make New York a logical place to have the most innovative and exciting sports betting presence in the country. Instead, that honor, arguably, goes to New Jersey, where thousands of New Yorkers journey every weekend to legally bet on games using their smartphones.

State legislative leaders and Governor Andrew Cuomo believe that mobile sports betting could make New York the biggest sports betting market in the country, taking away market share from New Jersey and filling the state’s depleted coffers. With so many of the state’s 15.5 million residents of gambling age being passionate sports fans, it would be tough to bet against New York quickly becoming a leader in sports betting offerings and revenue.

Here you will findinformation on the current state of sports betting in New York along withdetails of possible expansion into mobile betting.

New York Sports Betting General Information

Retail, or land-based, sports betting has been offered on a limited basis in New York since July 2019 as part of the 2013 Upstate New York Gaming Economic Development Act, which authorized in-person legal sports betting at four upstate casinos if federal law were ever changed to allow it. Additionally, several tribal casinos offer retail sports betting. None of the facilities offer mobile betting, even onsite.

After the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), the New York State Gaming Commission considered and approved sports betting at the four upstate casinos covered by the Act. Each casino was authorized to partner with a sports betting operator, and they began offering in-person sports betting in mid-2019 within weeks of regulatory approval.

Online Sports Betting in New York

Right now, you can’t bet on the Giants or Yankees on your phone in New York, hence the popularity of mobile betting just across the Hudson in New Jersey. However, Governor Cuomo wants those mobile bets and the revenue they bring to remain in the Empire State. The Governor’s office has estimated that about 20 percent of New Jersey’s sports betting revenue (more than $6 billion total in 2020) comes from New York residents. We aren’t talking about just a few bets here.

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2021 Developments

To keep those bets in New York, in early 2021 the Governor announced a statewide framework for mobile sports betting in the state’s budget proposal. This will kick off a potentially contentious negotiation with legislative leaders during the 2021 session. Cuomo and his advisors believe sports betting could raise up to $500 million in annual revenue if the state runs it similar to the existing state lottery. Cuomo’s openness to mobile sports betting is a marked shift in opinion toward liberalizing the activity, largely driven by the state’s yawning budget deficit as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

Cuomo’s proposal instructs the Gaming Commission to select “one or more providers to offer mobile sports wagering in New York.” Qualifications for the potential provider(s) include a partnership with an existing licensed commercial casino. This means that DraftKings, Bet365, BetRivers, FOX Bet, William Hill, and FanDuel would potentially be eligible as a provider under the Governor’s proposal.

State-Run vs. Open Market

Governor Cuomo and his team seem confident that a state-run mobile betting option would bring the most revenue into the state—up to $500 million per year. Some in the state legislature dispute that figure and believe that revenue and jobs for the state would be maximized under an open, competitive mobile betting model.

Legislative leaders wantadditional facilities to be eligible for up to 14 mobile sports betting“skins,” including professional sports venues like Madison Square Garden,tribal casinos, off-track betting parlors, and racetracks/racinos like YonkersRaceway. It is clear that the political will exists to expand sports betting toinclude mobile offerings, but the legislative push to legalize mobile sportsbetting may get bogged down in the political machinery of picking winners andlosers.

The two politicians who have pushed the expansion to mobile sports betting are State Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow and State Senator Joseph Addabbo. Senator Addabbo is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Racing, Gaming, and Wagering. Assemblyman Pretlow chairs the House Committee on Racing and Wagering. They partnered to introduce legislation that would allow for up to 14 sports betting apps in the state while implementing an 8.5 percent tax of sports wagering gross revenue and a 12 percent tax on mobile wagers. Under their proposal, the state would regulate and tax but would not administer mobile betting. This is much different than the Governor’s budget proposal that includes a state-administered, lottery-style system.

The Road Ahead for NY Online Sports Betting

If you think all that potential tax revenue will motivate those in Albany to quickly come to an agreement to create an open, competitive market for mobile sports betting that would maximize revenue, don’t go downloading the FanDuel or DraftKings app just yet. Bills that amend the state constitution, as the Pretlow/Addabbo measure would do, must be passed by both the Assembly and Senate, signed by the Governor, and then voted into law by the public. Even if the stars aligned and open, competitive mobile betting legislation was passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Cuomo, the earliest New Yorkers could start betting from their couches would be 2022.

However, the state must pass a budget by April 1, 2021, which is the beginning of the 2022 Fiscal Year. Since Governor Cuomo included his state-run mobile betting proposal in his budget, he has significant leverage. The legislature will negotiate with the Governor over the finer points of the budget, but if his preferred mobile-betting option is not included in the final version, it is possible that the Governor could veto the entire budget.

This is where politics comes in. Addabbo and Pretlow introduced their version of mobile betting legislation not only because they believe that an open, competitive market would bring in the most revenue and create the most new jobs. They also want a negotiating position in order to balance the Governor’s leverage. If their legislation is not considered and passed through the legislature by April 1, and the Governor’s state-run mobile betting proposal remains in the budget, technically, Governor Cuomo would be able to proceed with state-administered mobile betting later this year. This would mean that bettors would only have between one and four options to choose from. Look for both sides to try to hammer out an agreement before April 1, 2021.

New York Online Sports Betting: ETA

The bottom line is that mobile betting has a good chance of coming to New York sometime in 2021 or 2022, and somewhere between 1 and 14 operators will be competing (or not competing) for new customers. Once approved, New York will instantly be one of the largest markets in the country. Clear as mud, right?

Mobile Partners

If mobile betting does come to New York, the operators with existing casino partnerships will have the inside track. This would include the following brands:

• BetMGM (MGM purchased Yonkers Raceway/Empire City Casino in 2019. The casino does not currently have a sportsbook.)

Complications for BetMGM

Not to get too in the weeds here, but BetMGM could potentially be left out of the competition for mobile betting in New York. The other five brands have established partnerships with land-based casinos that already offer retail sports betting. MGM bought Yonkers Raceway anticipating that they would be included in any future expansion to mobile sports betting, but state law requires wagers to be placed at a gambling facility located in the state. Current law and the state constitution has been interpreted to allow for any potential mobile bets to be accepted at existing casinos that use on-site computer servers to process all their wagers. This would not currently include MGM/Yonkers Raceway because MGM houses its servers in Nevada.

Other Potential Mobile Partners

Sorry for all the hypotheticals, but that’s pretty much what we are working with in New York at this point. If we are really going to future-trip, let’s look at a few brands in neighboring states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey who aren’t aligned with New York casinos yet, but may look for a way in as online sports betting legislation progresses. They include:

• TwinSpires (BetAmerica)
• Barstool Sportsbook

These brands could end up partnering with OTBs and stadiums if the Addabbo/Pretlow legislative proposal becomes law. If up to 14 skins are authorized, the market will fill quickly. But that could be a long shot, as discussed previously, so we are only guessing right now whether these brands will ever enter the New York market.

NY Land-Based Sportsooks

All NY bettors are invited to check out any of the four upstate casinos that offer legal sports betting in the state. While they’re not exactly close to NYC, they are available for those willing to road trip it.

Del Lago Resort & Casino

• Location – Waterloo (between Syracuse and Rochester)
• Gaming Partner – DraftKings, Inc.

The DraftKings Sportsbook at Del Lago is one of the biggest in the state, with 1,000 square feet of LED video screens to enjoy every sport available on television. 23 betting kiosks and four betting windows are available to take your wagers, and they offer real-time live odds boards.

Resorts World Catskills

• Location – Monticello (90 miles Northwest of New York City)
• Gaming Partner – Bet365

The Sportsbook 360 at Resorts World is over 6,000 square feet in size with a center bar surrounded by 32 jumbo flat screen televisions. They offer socially distanced seating, so you can watch your favorite team at the bar after placing your bet at one of the 21 betting kiosks or the betting counter.

Rivers Casino

• Location – Schenectady (just west of Albany)
• Gaming Partner – BetRivers/Rush Street Interactive

Just outside of Albany, Rivers Casino was the first to offer sports betting after it became legal in 2019. Rivers Casino offers a large sports book with kiosks and betting windows. You can wager on any number of sporting events, from football to MMA, but like most sportsbooks, they only accept cash.

Tioga Downs Casino Resort

• Location – Nichols (west of Binghamton, close to PA border)
• Gaming Partner – FanDuel

The FanDuel Sportsbook is located in the Casino Resort and offers eight betting windows with seating for more than 50 customers. FanDuel’s top-rated platform offers bettors the most competitive lines and betting options around.

Tribal Casino Land-Based Books

New York also has three Indian tribes that own and operate casinos in the state. The tribes are not regulated by the state Gaming Commission and can offer sports betting under the federal 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, which allows sports betting for tribes if the state authorizes it for non-tribal entities. Because New York authorized sports betting for non-tribal casinos in the 2013 Gaming Economic Development Act, all tribes in the state are free to offer in-person sports betting at their casinos.

Oneida Indian Nation

• Turning Stone Casino, Verona
• Yellow Brick Road Casino, Chittenango
• Point Place Casino, Bridgeport
• Gaming Partner – William Hill/Caesars

Each Oneida Nation casino features The Lounge with Caesars Sports, an upscale, Caesars-branded sports book and lounge that has food, cocktails, and dozens of oversized LED screens showing all the sports you could ever want and some you may have never even heard of. Kiosks and a betting counter are available to take your wager(s).

Seneca Nation of Indians

• Seneca Niagara Casino, Niagara Falls
• Seneca Allegany Casino, Salamanca
• Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino, Buffalo

All three Seneca Nation casinos have a sports lounge with betting kiosks and counters open until Midnight. The casinos have many special events, including socially distanced viewing parties for Buffalo Bills playoff games and other sporting events

St. Regis Mohawks

• Akwesasne Mohawk Casino, Hogansburg
• Gaming Partner – FOXBet

The Mohawk Casino features Sticks Sports Book & Grill, which has a full bar, dozens of televisions, odds boards, and a large seating area. Kiosks and betting counters are available to place almost any type of wager, from a straight moneyline bet to a 12-team parlay.

Online Banking Options

Whenever mobile betting does make it to the Empire state, funding your account and withdrawing your winnings will be pretty straightforward. You will likely have access to several different payment methods, including:

• Visa/Mastercard – They are everywhere you want to be, including most sportsbooks. Only available for deposits, not withdrawals.
• eCheck (VIP Preferred) – VIP Preferred is a third-party online check processor and online wallet, and is a secure way to make payments or receive payouts from your online account.
• Play+ Card – Play+ is a prepaid card service offered by many online sportsbooks that works like a regular debit card at most merchants.
• PayPal – Come on, you know what PayPal is. Some online sportsbooks use PayPal the same way you use it to pay your buddies for greens fees and fantasy football dues.
• Skrill – Skrill started in the UK as a service similar to PayPal. It is becoming more popular among online sportsbooks in the US.
• PayNearMe – PayNearMe is a service offered at local merchants like 7-Eleven and CVS where you can make in-person deposits to your account.
• Cash at Cage – Head over to the cage at the casino partnered with your mobile sportsbook account and deposit with cash, or collect your winnings in-person.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is sports betting legal in New York?

Yes, sports betting is legal in New York at four upstate casinos and several Indian casinos. These casinos offer in-person betting only. Online/mobile sports betting may be coming to the state soon, but is not yet available.

Who can place a bet on sports in New York?

Bettors aged 21 and over who are physically located in a casino that offers sports betting can place a bet on the sport of their choice.

Since I can only bet in-person in New York, where can I go to place my bet?

You can bet on sports in-person at four upstate casinos and seven Indian casinos:

• Del Lago Resort & Casino
• Resorts World Catskills
• Rivers Casino
• Tioga Downs Casino Resort
• Seneca Niagara Casino
• Seneca Allegany Casino
• Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino
• Akwesasne Mohawk Casino
• Turning Stone Casino
• Yellow Brick Road Casino
• Point Place Casino

When will NY mobile sports betting be available?

Our best guess right now is that online sports betting may be available in New York sometime in 2021 or 2022. This could include anywhere from just one to as many as fourteen different online sportsbooks.

How many online sportsbooks are coming to New York?

It depends on the Governor and legislative leaders. Under the Governor’s budget proposal, the state will administer mobile sports betting and will have between 1 and 4 licensed partners (DraftKings, FanDuel, etc.). Separate legislation has been introduced that would allow for up to 14 licensed partners in an open, competitive market.

Will New York mobile sportsbooks offer bonuses for new players?

If the mobile market is open and competitive, as proposed by state legislative leaders, there will likely be bonuses and enticements for new customers to join their service. If a state-run mobile option ends up emerging, the chance for a welcome bonus significantly diminishes because the operator(s) will have less incentive to entice new customers to join the service.

How will I be able to deposit online?

In order to set up an account, youwill need to share some personal information with the potential provider(s).This could include your SSN and other identifying information. Once you haveshared that information, you will be able to make a deposit and/or withdrawal usingone of the banking options described above.

As of March 2021, New York online sports betting is not yet legal, but there are a variety of New York sportsbooks locations throughout the state. These are retail sportsbooks where bets can be placed in person.

New York’s retail sportsbooks will offer a wide range of wagers on all major sports competitions throughout 2021 and beyond. They are currently all located in Upstate NY.

There are two major restrictions that New York bettors should be aware of. Sports bettors are unable to wager on in-state college schools and mobile sports betting is not currently legal (but it may be by the end of 2021). There are, however, options for bettors in New York to place online bets like crossing the border to make mobile bets in New Jersey.

How To Place A Bet In New York Today

Retail Sportsbooks in New York

If you want to bet on sports while inside the state of New York, you’ll have to visit a retail sportsbook and bet in-person. Some of these sportsbooks, such as Sportsbook 360 at Resorts World Catskills, allow you to view the bets online before you visit. All will take phone calls inquiring about the lines they’re offering.

Unfortunately, New York City does not have any retail sportsbooks despite having land-based casinos. The closest in-state option is Resorts World Catskills in Monticello (90 miles from Manhattan). You can find the fill list of New York retail sportsbooks.

Online Sportsbooks In New Jersey Or Pennsylvania

Some New Yorkers may find it easier to simply cross the border into New Jersey or Pennsylvania to bet online. As long as you’re at least 21 and physically located within state lines, you can wager at any of the legally licensed online sportsbooks in those states.

Our favorite NJ & Pennsylvania Sportsbooks for New York residents:

New York Sports Betting Recent Updates

• NY mobile sports betting bill may pass within weeks? :Senator Addabbo is hopeful that within the next few weeks New York will be able to pass a mobile sports betting bill before the start of the fiscal year (April 1). Governor Andrew Cuomo is currently dealing with multiple scandals that could lead to the legislators’ casino based bill to cross the finish line.
• Barstool Sportsbook & Golden Nugget get NY market access: Barstool secured access via a deal with Rivers Casino while Golden Nugget inked an agreement with Tioga Downs. Both agreements are good for 20 years, provided New York’s eventual sports betting market allows multiple skins.
• Cuomo doubled down on his support of a lottery model: In a January 19 budget address, Cuomo reiterated his support of the lottery model, claiming that “the people of New York actually get the profits” from such a model.
• Empire State lawmakers pushed back with legislation that would authorize casino-tethered sports betting: New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo and Assemblyman Gary Pretlow jointly filed s1183 and a1257, a pair of bills aimed at launching mobile sports betting more along the lines of neighboring New Jersey. Addabo/Pretlow’s model would allow New York casinos to partner with online sports betting operators, welcoming competing apps in the state.
• Governor Cuomo voices support for mobile sports betting in New York…with a catch: To kick off 2021, NY Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that he had changed his tune with regard to mobile sports betting. However, the announcement came with a plot twist. Cuomo wants a lottery-based sports betting model, which would limit the number of operators who could launch in the state.
• The veto-proof majority of New York Democrats is good news for sports bettors: On November 23, 2020, New York’s Democratic lawmakers achieve a supermajority, meaning they can pass legislation that Governor Andrew Cuomo would be unable to veto. This veto-proof majority likely signals the beginning of online sports betting in New York, which we could see in 2021.
• New Jersey sports betting totals $931 million: On December 14, 2020, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement reported that in-state sportsbooks handled close to a billion dollars in bets. This marks the fourth consecutive time that the Garden State broke the national record for most sports betting in a single month, no doubt with help from New Yorkers crossing the border to bet at legal online sportsbooks.
• Governor Cuomo announces push for online sports betting: On January 6, 2021, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his intention to push for legal online sports betting in his 2021 State of the State address. In the press release, he stated, “New York has the potential to be the largest sports wagering market in the United States, and by legalizing online sports betting we aim to keep millions of dollars in revenue here at home, which will only strengthen our ability to rebuild from the COVID-19 crisis.”
• DraftKings stock rises by 9%: Immediately following the January 6, 2021 announcement that New York State will likely legalize online sports betting, DraftKings (DKNG) stocks sharply rose by 9%. However, this excitement has since tapered off with the possibility that sports betting will be run by the New York Lottery, which would cut DraftKings and all other casino-style sportsbooks out of the market.
• Online sports betting announcement receives criticism: On January 14, 2021, Governor Cuomo’s proposal to allow the New York Lottery to operate the state’s only online sportsbook received criticism from State Senator Joe Addabbo. The Queens Democrat is one of many lawmakers pushing for a casino-style, competitive market rather than a lottery-style, state-run sportsbook like they had in Washington, DC at launch.

New York Retail Sportsbook Locations

Online Sportsbooks In New York: What We Can Expect

A great online sports betting market in New York is only possible if two things happen:

• Lawmakers pass a bill legalizing online sports betting in the state
• New York follows the casino model rather than the lottery model for online sportsbooks. If they go with the lottery model instead, sports bettors in the state would have exactly one online sportsbook option, and it’d be run by the New York Lottery.

But if New York offers a competitive online sports betting market that opens the doors to some of the biggest and best sportsbooks in the US, it could very easily generate more sports betting revenue than any other state.

Below are the online sportsbooks you can expect to immediately enter the New York sports betting market:

• William Hill (Caesars Sports)

These four brands already have retail sportsbooks located across Upstate New York. In fact, The Lounge by Caesars Sports has a location inside Turning Stone in Verona, Yellow Brick Road in Chittenango, and Point Place in Bridgeport, essentially making it Central New York’s main sports betting brand.

But you can also count on the following sports betting apps to join as well:

• FOX Bet
• Barstool Sports
• TwinSpires
• Golden Nugget

All of these online sportsbooks are available in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania, which makes it highly likely that they’ll apply for a license in New York State as well.

New York Sports Betting Revenue

In November 2020, sportsbooks across New York State generated $2,619,676 in revenue, which translated to $261,968 in state taxes. That’s incredibly low compared to the sports betting revenue in New Jersey ($931,620,415) and Pennsylvania ($491,910,713) in the same month.

The discrepancies are due to two main factors: those states offer online sportsbooks, and New York City does not have any in-state retail sportsbooks.

However, if New York State legalizes online sports betting, the state could see sportsbook revenue reach $3 billion by the end of 2021. According to State Budget Director Robert Mujica, legal mobile sports betting would increase tax revenue from $50 million to more than $500 million per year.

How New York Compares To Other States

New York Versus Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is one of just a few states that legalized all forms of online gambling: sports betting, casino games, and poker sites. New York has no form of legal online gambling, so there’s really no comparison. If you like to bet online, Pennsylvania offers one of the best markets.

Here is a complete list of online sportsbooks in Pennsylvania that New York residents can use as long as they’re inside PA state lines:

• Barstool
• TwinSpires
• Caesars Sports
• DraftKings
• FanDuel
• FOX Bet
• Parx
• SugarHouse
• Unibet

More will likely be added in 2021 as well.

New York Versus New Jersey

New Jersey also offers legal online sportsbooks, online casinos, and poker sites. And until New York legalizes online sports betting, New Jersey will remain the state where online sportsbooks generate the most revenue in the country.

New York residents can join any of the following New Jersey online sportsbooks, but you must be physically present in New Jersey to wager:

• 888 Sport
• Barstool
• Bet365
• TwinSpires
• BetMGM
• Borgata Sports
• BetRivers
• Caesars Sports
• DraftKings
• FanDuel
• FOX Bet
• Golden Nugget Sports
• Hard Rock Sportsbook
• PointsBet
• PokerStars Sports
• SugarHouse
• theScore
• Unibet
• William Hill

Incredibly, the market is continuing to grow, and you can expect a few more in 2021.

New York Betting Successes And Failures

New York Sports Betting Success

New York’s sportsbooks were never expected to do as well as states with online sports betting options. While sportsbook revenue continued to rise throughout the end of 2020, a few million is nothing compared to the hundreds of millions generated monthly in New Jersey.

However, Governor Andrew Cuomo had been outspokenly opposed to any form of legal sports betting, even after the US Supreme Court overturned PASPA in May 2018, a federal law prohibiting states from legalizing it.

Despite his opposition, retail sports betting launched in 2019 inside several Upstate New York casinos. That’s far better than nothing, but a far cry from resounding success.

Where Could New York Improve Online Gambling

Sports bettors in New York, particularly those in NYC, are taking their wagers to New Jersey. It can take under ten minutes to get from certain parts of Manhattan via PATH or ferry, which is far easier than the two-hour drive up to Resorts World Catskills.

Bottom line: New Yorkers are spending millions of dollars in more favorable sports betting markets. Some would reasonably consider that a massive legislative failure.

Both Iowa and Indiana launched online sports betting before Illinois. This meant Illinois had similar problems to New York. Even when Illinois launched online betting, the law restricted Illinois bettors by requiring them to visit a retail sportsbook in Illinois to complete registration. In some cases, it was easier for Illinois residents to hop over a border than travel to an Illinois sportsbook to register. This requirement has been suspended, though, for most of 2020 and into 2021. Now, Illiois is the fourth-largest sports betting market in the US.

New York could learn from this example. If New York authorizes online sports betting, it would be an enormous tax revenue boost.

Legalization Effort In New York

The legalization effort in New York State began way back in 2013 when the state passed Senate Bill S5883, which added Article 13 to the Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law.

However, the new bill specifically banned sports wagering “unless federal law governing such wagering is amended or a court finds such law unconstitutional.”

On May 14, 2018, the US Supreme Court indeed found such a law unconstitutional. When the Court overturned PASPA, a 1992 bill restricting states from offering legal sports betting (except for Nevada), New York could pass a bill legalizing sports betting.

Before that even happened, New York Senate Racing, Gaming & Wagering Committee Chair John J. Bonacic sponsored a bill that would have established sports betting regulations ahead of the Supreme Court ruling. However, that bill was still active when he retired that same year.

Thankfully, State Senator Joe Addabbo took over sponsorship of the bill when he became the new Committee Chair, and he became a champion of getting both retail and online sports betting legalized in the state.

Unfortunately, mobile sports betting was not part of the deal. Instead, only retail sportsbooks in Upstate New York casinos could offer legal sports betting.

On July 16, 2019, Schenectady’s Rivers Casino accepted the first legal sports bets, and seven additional retail sportsbooks have opened since.

Timeline For New York Sports Betting

• December 4, 2017: The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Christie v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, the result of which would eventually overturn PASPA, the federal ban on states legalizing sports betting.
• March 8, 2018: New York Senate Racing, Gaming & Wagering Committee Chair John J. Bonacic introduced Senate Bill S7900 in an attempt to make state regulators ready to roll out legal sports betting if the US Supreme Court overturns PASPA.
• May 14, 2018: The US Supreme Court ruled in favor of New Jersey and overturned PASPA, allowing states and other federal jurisdictions to legalize sports betting.
• December 21, 2018: Following the retirement of State Senator John J. Bonacic, Senate Bill S7900 found a new sponsor in Joe Addabbo, who took over as the New York Senate Racing, Gaming & Wagering Committee Chair.
• March 20, 2019: The New York State Gaming Commission released regulations regarding sports betting, triggering a 60-day comment period.
• June 10, 2019: The New York State Gaming Commission approves retail sportsbook licenses for four commercial casinos and all tribal casinos in the state.
• July 16, 2019: Rivers Casino Schenectady opens the first legal sportsbook in New York State at its in-house Rivers Sportsbook.
• September 4, 2019: By this day, six additional sportsbooks were open at commercial and tribal casinos across the state: Sportsbook 360 at Resorts World Catskills; DraftKings Sportsbook at del Lago Casino Resort; FanDuel Sportsbook at Tioga Downs; and three Caesars Sportsbook locations at Turning Stone, Point Place, and Yellow Brick Road.
• November 27, 2019: The new Akwesasne Mohawk Casino in Hogansburg by the Canadian border accepted their first sports bet at the in-house PlaySports Sportsbook by IGT. New Yorkers now have seven options across every corner of Upstate.
• January 6, 2020: Governor Andrew Cuomo, a major opponent of online sports betting in New York, announced that the state will finally legalize it in 2021. It remains to be seen how that pans out.

New York Teams

Professional Sports Teams

New York sportsbooks can offer any sort of bet on major league sports, including wagers on all New York teams. And New York boasts some of the best teams in the world. New York is also home to the largest number of professional teams of any region in the US.

NFL Teams In NY

The NFL inspires more sports bets than any other league in the US, and Super Bowl betting in New York is the busiest time of year at the sportsbooks.

The state’s three NFL teams are the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, and New York Jets.

While the Giants and the Jets play at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, both are New York teams. If you attend a game, you can bet on your mobile device on New Jersey’s legal sports betting apps.

NY MLB Teams

New Yorkers bet millions every year on the Yankees and the Mets, a legendary crosstown rivalry. And their enormous fandoms span far beyond the boroughs in which they play. New York bettors can bet on these teams as well as all MLB teams in the US.

NBA Teams In New York

The New York Knicks is an organization best known for having championship teams that never win a championship. And like the Knicks, the Brooklyn Nets haven’t won a Championship since the ABA and NBA merged in 1976. But New York bettors don’t shy away from betting on the underdog, especially if it’s an in-state team.

New York NHL Teams

The Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, and New York Rangers represent the State of New York in the NHL. While the Stanley Cup has evaded all of them for close to thirty years, the NHL remains one of the most popular sports for New York betting.

MLS Teams In New York

New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls are two teams that continue to grow in popularity – along with betting on MLS games. On top of international leagues and the World Cup, soccer fans always have a lot of betting opportunities at in-state sportsbooks.

College Sports Teams

While you can bet on college sports in New York, in-state schools are strictly off-limits. That means you can’t bet on Syracuse, Buffalo, Albany, Army, or St. Johns at New York sportsbooks.

A popular workaround is to visit Pennsylvania or New Jersey to bet on New York colleges. In Pennsylvania, you can also bet on their in-state college teams. But in New Jersey, you can’t bet on a game that involves a New Jersey college, or any college game played in the state.

New York’s restriction on in-state colleges won’t change if the state legalizes online sports betting. On top of New Jersey, Illinois also prohibits sports betting on in-state schools and games. But most states do not, including Colorado, Michigan, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.

Thankfully, sportsbooks across the state offer free-to-play March Madness bracket tournaments and other promotions surrounding sporting events involving in-state teams. So even if you can’t bet on Syracuse, you can still watch them play while betting on other games.

Sports Betting Ny State

Other Sports To Bet On In New York

New York boasts world-renowned golf courses that often hold PGA Tour events. As recently as September 14, 2020, the Winged Foot Golf Club in Westchester County hosted the U.S. Open Championship. Turning Stone Casino also offers both a sportsbook and golf course that hosts PGA events, all on the same Verona property.

Another New York favorite is betting on NASCAR and other auto-racing events. Watkins Glen International hosts these events in every professional auto-racing sector, including the NASCAR Cup Series.

Interestingly for sports bettors, Watkins Glen is one of only two NASCAR tracks where they race clockwise. Everywhere else, it’s counterclockwise, adding an additional variable to an already exciting and unpredictable sport.

And at all US sportsbooks, including those in New York, international soccer is one of the most popular choices for bettors. Outside of the major leagues and college football and basketball, the English Premier League and other European divisions attract a large number of in-state wagers.

New York Sports Betting FAQs

No, New York does not allow legal online sports betting from within state lines. However, Governor Andrew Cuomo, State Senator Joe Addabbo, and other lawmakers will attempt to legalize it in 2021. It remains to be seen whether it will be a single, state-run online sportsbook or a casino-style market with several different sportsbook options.

Yes. You can be a legal resident of New York and legally bet online while in New Jersey. You can also legally join, deposit, and withdraw at an online sportsbook in New Jersey, but you need to be physically present in the state to place a bet.

Online Gambling Ny Sports Betting

18 or 21. The sports betting age in New York depends on if you’re playing at a commercial casino or a tribal casino. At New York’s four commercial casinos, the sportsbook age is 21 and up. At tribal casinos, such as Turning Stone, Point Place, Yellow Brick Road, and Akwesasne, bettors 18 and up are accepted.

Yes and no. You can bet on college sports in New York as long as it is not an in-state college team like Syracuse or Buffalo. If New York colleges aren’t playing and the game isn’t being held in New York State, it should be available at your closest retail sportsbook. You can call ahead or check the website to see if they’re taking bets on games before you go.

No. If a website accepts a wager from you while you’re in New York State, you’re breaking the law and so is the sportsbook. Aside from the legal risk, illegal betting sites are notorious for refusing to pay winnings or outright disappearing and taking your money with them.

DraftKings DFS and FanDuel DFS are legal in New York State. Both also have retail sportsbooks, DraftKings at del Lago Casino Resort and FanDuel in Tioga Downs. However, the online FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook are not legal in New York State. New Yorkers can wager at both by visiting Pennsylvania or New Jersey.

Ny State Online Sports Betting Game

More Resources On New York Sports Betting

Ny Sports Betting News

• The NYS Gaming Commission website, with resources on rules and regulations, revenue reports, voluntary self-exclusion, and more
• Sports Betting Rules as enforced by the NYS Gaming Commission
• New York Sports on ESPN has the latest coverage on both college and professional sports in the state
• The New York Times Sports section covers both local teams as well as national professional and college sports
• CNY Sports News courtesy of Syracuse.com
• Buffalo News Sports section covers athletics in Western New York
• Times Union Sports has the latest college and high school sports news in Albany and the Capital Region