New York Senator Introduces Bill to Legalize Online Gambling

Joseph Addabbo Introduces iGaming Bill

Attempts to create a legal basis for legal betting sites in New York State date back more than 10 years. In the last 3 years, a senator has been the protagonist in this fight for legalization. On January 21, 2025,

Senator Joseph Addabbo introduced a new bill, SB2614, to the Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee. The document creates the framework for creating licensed casinos, sports betting sites, online poker rooms, and video lottery terminals (VLT) in New York.

All operators who have previously operated in the state illegally will lose the right to apply for a license. A special New York Gaming Commission (NYGC) division would monitor compliance with the law and issue permits.

SB2614 emphasizes the need to propose initiatives that support responsible gaming and amendments to existing gaming and tax laws.

The only unusual thing about this new bill is that the provision allowing joining the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, which allows pooling different online poker sites across multiple states, is removed.

Key provisions of the law

• The one-time license fee for an operator is $2M, while for a gaming platform developer, it is $10M.
• An operator can open only one skin. The gross revenue tax would be 30.5%
• Servers must be located in a licensed area.
• Mandatory compliance with responsible gaming rules, including age verification, self-exclusion tools, and support for programs for people with gambling addiction problems.
• The annual limit on credit card deposits will be $2,500. If the amount of card deposits exceeds this, the operator must request proof of the absence of gambling problems from the player.

What are the chances of the law being passed in 2025?

Some experts point out that the new bill is unlikely to be approved. Some lawmakers might support the bill, citing the success of sports betting and significant tax revenue from online gambling in states like Pennsylvania and Michigan, while others might be inclined to delay the launch of legal poker rooms and casinos in New York as they seek to assess the long-term prospects of legalization.

Additionally, the Hotel Trades Council (HTC) opposes SB2614, believing the potential exodus of players to the online environment could hurt live gaming. Like everywhere else, New York has citizens concerned about the state's potential social impacts of online casinos.

Addabboo wants to win Governor Kathy Hochul’s support by quoting the success of New York's mobile sports betting program, which was launched in 2022 and quickly became the largest in the country.

Even if the new law is passed, it will take at least 18 months for the first online poker rooms to open their doors in the state. New York, with nearly 20 million residents, would become the state with the country's largest legal online poker market.

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