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New York’s foray into sports betting began in July 2019. However, the excitement was rather muted, as the only openings occurred in retail settings at New York commercial and tribal casinos.
Until the New York Assembly can reach an agreement on mobile wagering, most of New York’s customer base (including residents of New York City) remains more likely to place their wagers in neighboring New Jersey.
However, all is not lost in the Empire State. With the New York Gaming Commission’s recent move to conduct a gaming study in the state, mobile wagering might be in the not-too-distant future.
Updated as of: Jan. 9, 2020
Progress toward mobile sports betting in New York continues to move at a slower pace than most proponents would like. However, there are signs that things are moving forward in the Empire State.
In November 2019, the New York Gaming Commission retained Spectrum Gaming Group to produce a study regarding the state’s gambling market. The study is expected to emphasize mobile sports betting as the best way to take advantage of the opportunity in New York.
This month, sportsbook operator DraftKings announced that it had reached a partnership with New York City arena Madison Square Garden. While the deal primarily allows the sports betting company to place branding at the venue, there are also provisions that allow for “activation areas” during fan events.
In other words, DraftKings wants its pieces in place for mobile sports betting when it goes active. So, there is reason for optimism that mobile sports betting is coming to New York relatively soon. We’re just not sure exactly when.
Online sports betting is not active in New York right now. Though the state is home to seven retail sportsbooks, New York players cannot access them through their laptops and mobile devices.
There are indications that New York will have mobile sports wagering sometime in the next year or two. However, for now, the best options for most New Yorkers who want to bet on their phones are a short drive to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or, soon, New Hampshire.
New York maintains a robust state lottery that offers chances to win on both draw and scratch-off games. Unfortunately, none of those games are available for purchase over the internet.
The only exception to this limitation is through the subscription option that the lottery offers. Players can register for an account and prepay for several drawings in advance.
Their drawn numbers will remain the same, but will have opportunities to win through multiple weeks. Winnings go either to the player’s account or by check to their mailing address on file.
No legal online poker sites are open for business in New York. Sports betting holds the attention of most stakeholders in the state, and it’s unlikely that anything will change for online poker soon.
Poker players in New York can take advantage of the opportunities on Global Poker if they want to play online poker close to home. Global Poker is a sweepstakes site that, like sister site Chumba Casino, uses a unique approach to remain legal.
However, New York poker fans can also play if they make the drive either to Pennsylvania or New Jersey. Both states have several online poker sites that welcome any player inside state lines.
New York officially kicked off an era of sports betting in July 2019. The sportsbook at Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady opened for business and accepted wagers from Assemblyman Gary Pretlow and Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy.
Since then, six other retail sportsbooks have launched in the Empire State. New York residents and visitors can now place sports bets in person at the following locations:
There are no legal online casinos in New York at this time. Right now, lawmakers are focusing all of their attention on realizing sports betting fully in the state. It’s unclear when online casinos might come up for discussion.
For the moment, the best option for New Yorkers who want to gamble online is Chumba Casino. Chumba uses a sweepstakes model to do business. Since it is (technically) unnecessary to spend money to play on Chumba, it remains in compliance with New York law.
Failing that, players can also make the trip into either New Jersey or Pennsylvania if they want more options. Both states have multiple online casinos available for play, and they are available almost as soon as you cross the state lines.
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) has been a source of an unusually active debate in the State of New York. At various times, the state’s lawmakers, law enforcement officials, and judicial system have categorically disagreed with each other as to the status of the practice.
As a result, DFS remains under a legal cloud in New York. Though there is a law allowing DFS on the books right now, a 2018 legal ruling has cast doubt on its legitimacy.
The court’s finding is under appeal, so New Yorkers can still use any DFS site they like – for now. Here are some of the best options that New York players have available:
No. The 2013 gambling expansion did not provide for online sports betting.
Although the state’s gambling commission is examining such a move, there is nothing official yet. For the moment, New Yorkers must go to neighboring New Jersey and Pennsylvania to place bets on their phones.
In New York, the vast majority of betting options will be on professional sporting events. New York’s law limits the ability to wager on collegiate events either taking place inside state lines or involving teams from New York.
Even though there are a preponderance of notable colleges and universities in New York, bettors will find themselves unable to wager upon them. However, fans of the major sports leagues, like the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB, will have no problem finding opportunities for betting.
Not at all. Sportsbooks are open to residents and visitors in New York alike.
The only caveat has to do with the gambling age. As a general rule, players must be 18 to play in New York gambling establishments. However, in the commercial casinos, the required age is usually 21, since the casinos serve alcohol there.
No, they are not. There is no law that allows legal online casino play in the state of New York.
Furthermore, there is nothing definitive on the horizon that would allow for the introduction of online casinos soon. Online casinos are likely to pop up in the Empire State at some point, but right now, the focus is on sports betting.
Astute web users from New York will have, no doubt, discovered that there are options that appear for online casino play or sports betting when they conduct a web search. These sites look legitimate, and some of them even have a decent amount of brand recognition associated with them.
Unfortunately, these sites are offshore outfits that operate beyond the boundaries of US law. They often exist in a legal grey area, where they are neither explicitly prohibited nor allowed.
Though they might seem like a decent option while New York works to bring legal sportsbooks and casinos online, they represent an undue amount of risk for New York players. Since these are offshore sites, there is no way to conduct any sort of due diligence or feel any sense of security about their fairness and business practices.
If they turn out not to be honest brokers, then US players will find the second problem with playing on these sites. Namely, there are no US courts or legal options that can prosecute or pursue them. Since they are international companies, a US player would have to rely upon the uncertainties of international legal bodies.
New York will have legal online sports betting and casinos before too long. In the meantime, with legal options so close in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, it’s just not worth the risk.
Yes! New York residents are more than welcome to travel across state lines to take advantage of New Jersey’s online sportsbooks, casinos, and poker rooms. In fact, it is unnecessary to drive more than a few feet inside the borders of the state in order to get started.
Although New Jersey is the obvious choice for such a trip, please also bear in mind that Pennsylvania is now a full-service gambling destination, too. There are online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker rooms waiting to accept business from cars traveling south.
The good news is that it is possible to register for a sportsbook account anywhere, regardless of whether your state allows online sports betting. So, there’s no need to get in your car if all you want to do is register.
Once you’ve found an online site you’d like to try, look for a button on the homescreen that says something like “Register,” or “Sign Up.” Press that button, and the site should take you to a page with a series of blanks on it.
Those blanks will ask you for various bits of personal information. That information will include things like your name, email address, date of birth, phone number, street address, and Social Security number.
It may also ask you to elect a username and password. There may also be some security questions and answers to fill out that will allow the site to provide you with extra protection.
There may also be a blank for any sort of promo code. Make sure to check with PlayNY to see if we have any deals running with your site. Many times, you can’t find the same deal anywhere else.
After that, hit “Submit,” and you’re all set!
If you’ve never downloaded a gambling app before, it might seem a bit daunting. The good news is that it’s largely the same process as downloading any other type of app.
First of all, most online sportsbooks maintain a browser version of their sites. So, those who prefer to use a laptop can access the online sportsbook through their favorite browser. Whether you use Chrome, Safari, or some other method to connect to the internet, most sportsbooks have a site that works as well as the mobile apps.
Most mobile users fall into one of two camps. iPhone / iPad users use the iOS platform, while Android users have their own interface.
To download either app, all you need to do is visit the sportsbook and click on the icon for Apple or Android.
If you’re betting on an iPhone, the sportsbook will redirect you to the correct app needed from the Apple store.
In the case of Android users, the betting app is available direct from the sportsbook. Follow the onscreen instructions to download and install.
Mobile users can also access their sportsbooks through their browsers. Most sites will recognize the device that is viewing them and optimize accordingly.
Problem gambling is a reality for millions of Americans each year, including in New York. Unfortunately, some who choose to gamble find that they simply cannot stop, even when they want to do so.
For those in New York who are suffering from problem gambling, there are several resources available. There is no reason that either problem gamblers or their families have to wait to begin on the road to recovery.
The New York State Gaming Commission has quite a few options available for those seeking help. First and foremost, there is a helpline available around the clock.
The NYS HOPEline is staffed by trained clinicians who can assist anyone with problem gambling in their lives. A phone call to 1-877-846-7369 or a text to 467369 will put you in touch in a confidential setting.
It is also possible to place yourself on a self-exclusion list for a period of years. This placement bars the person listed from entering any New York gambling facility.
The duration of the ban can be as long as permanently. Though an extreme step, it can be necessary for those who simply cannot stop themselves from gambling money that they can’t afford to lose.
The NYSGC website also contains numerous links to information and educational resources about problem gambling. There are quizzes and studies to help families understand what their challenges are.
The New York Council on Problem Gambling maintains a similar website with resources and training materials to assist sufferers and their families. There are also links to support groups that meet in New York, such as Gamblers Anonymous and GAM-ANON.
There is no reason to wait a second longer to begin a journey towards an addiction-free life. If you or someone you know is suffering from problem gambling, do something about it.
