July 16, 2019 was a big day for New York as an upstate casino accepted the first legal state-regulated sports bets.
In a spectacular launch, politicians and athletes gathered at the Rivers Casino in Schenectady. The city’s Mayor Gary McCarthy placed the first bet.
The inauguration of legal sports betting came about just over a year after the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA). PASPA prevented states from passing their own laws to allow legal sports betting. In May 2018, the court ruled that it was unconstitutional, paving the way for New York and other states to pass their own legislation.
New York actually passed its sports betting legislation five years ago. A 2013 referendum question opened the way for the construction of new casinos and for legal sports betting. The casinos opened, but sports betting remained off the menu until the Supreme Court ruling shifted the tides.
Sports betting legalized in New York, with limitations
The delay of over a year between decision and sports betting launch was mainly political. Various attempts to get specific sports betting legislation through the legislature stalled out.
Finally in January, the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) approved regulations to allow sports betting to take place.
Those regulations restricted sports betting to the four Upstate casinos plus the state’s tribal casinos. No online or mobile sports betting is allowed per the regulations.
The last attempt to legislate for a more up-to-date legal framework failed in June. State Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr managed to get his S17-D bill through the Senate by a vote of 57-5. Unfortunately, Governor Andrew Cuomo did not support it, and even though the votes were probably there in the Assembly, it was not put to a vote.
Where can I make legal sports bets in New York?
Current legislation restricts sports betting to the four licensed Upstate casinos plus tribal casinos. There are seven casinos with sports betting in operation at present. One more will follow in the fall and three others are likely to enter the market in the near term.
First the Upstate casinos:
Rivers Casino & Resort, Schenectady
- Partnered with Rush Street Gaming using a sports betting platform developed by Kambi
Sports betting takes place at the Rivers Sportsbook, a 5,000 square foot equipped with 18 individual VIP club chairs and table seating for around 80 customers. There are five private booths each with TV monitors and each spacious enough for six people.
There is a 53′ x 9′ video wall with 22 additional 86” TV monitors. There is no excuse for missing the action.
Fourteen betting kiosks cater to those comfortable with the user-friendly technology and six betting windows for those who prefer the personal touch. Kiosks are open for bets 24 hours a day. Betting window opening hours are:
- Monday – Thursday: 10am-12am
- Friday: 10 a.m. – 1 a.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. – 1 a.m.
- Sunday: 9 a.m. – 12 a.m.
The casino is located at 1 Rush St, Schenectady, NY 12305.
Tioga Downs, Nichols
- Partnered with FanDuel, Tioga also has a deal with Australian company PointsBet. That partnership looks to be for online sports betting which is not yet available.
Smaller than the Rivers Sportsbook, but still substantial, the Tioga Downs Sportsbook occupies 2,600 square feet close to the casino’s main entrance.
There are eight betting windows and 27 separate video displays including a large video wall. Seating is available for over 50 customers including 12 lounge seats, seven high tables and two drinks rails.
The sportsbook is open:
- Monday – Thursday: 10 a.m. – 1 a.m.
- Friday: 10 a.m. – 2 a.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. – 2 a.m.
- Sunday: 9 a.m. – 1 a.m.
Tioga Downs is located at 2384 W River Rd, Nichols, NY 13812.
Del Lago Resort Casino, Waterloo
- Partnered with DraftKings
The new sportsbook at the Del Lago Casino covers over 6,000 square feet of action. There are four betting windows and a total of 23 betting kiosks. Kiosks are open 24/7.
Games and odds are displayed on over 1,000 square feet of video screens. For in-game betting, there are real-time odds boards. One differentiator offered at Del Lago is that they have over 30 different varieties of beer on tap.
Opening hours are:
- Sunday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 1 a.m.
- Friday & Saturday: 9 a.m. – 2 a.m.
The Del Lago Resort Casino is located at 1133 NY-414, Waterloo, NY 13165.
Resorts World Catskills, Monticello
- Partnered with UK company bet365, which notably has an equity stake in the casino.
Resorts World calls its sports betting area Sportsbook 360. That’s because there is a bar at the center surrounded by 360 degrees of video screens. In the 6,000 square foot area there are 35 75-inch flat screen displays plus a 9′ x 16′ definition screen.
The space comfortably seats over 100 and there are 14 betting kiosks open 24 hours a day to accept wagers when the betting counter is closed.
Opening hours are:
- Monday & Tuesday: 5:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.
- Wednesday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 1:30 a.m.
The Resorts World Casino is located at 888 Resorts World Dr, Monticello, NY 12701.
Three tribal casinos run by the Oneida Indian Nation also have sports betting up and running. All are partnered with Caesars Entertainment using a platform provided by Scientific Games:
Turning Stone Resort Casino, Verona
Known as “The Lounge with Caesars Sports,” the Turning Stone sports betting area has gone for a chic look. Blue leather high-backed chairs and a long translucent bar provide a modern aesthetic. The bar offers signature cocktails and a range of craft beers.
There are 17 screens available to display the action. The largest is 48′ long and 9′ high.
Opening hours are:
- Monday – Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.
- Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. (Bar open until 2:00 a.m.)
- Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. (Bar open until 2:00 a.m.)
- Sunday: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.
The Turning Stone Casino is located at 5218 Patrick Rd, Verona, NY 13478.
Point Place Casino, Bridgeport
Built along similar lines to the Turning Point Casino, the Point Place sportsbook is also known as “The Lounge with Caesars Sports.”
The sportsbook area boasts a 24′-high resolution video wall plus 30 big LED screens. There are also luxury VIP areas with their own dedicated screens where you can follow the action.
Opening hours are:
- Monday – Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.
- Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. (Bar open until 2:00 a.m.)
- Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. (Bar open until 2:00 a.m.)
- Sunday: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.
Point Place Casino is located at 450 NY-31, Bridgeport, NY 13030.
Yellow Brick Road Casino, Chittenango
The third “The Lounge with Caesars Sports” is at the Oneida Nation’s Yellow Brick Road Casino.
The lounge has a 32′ video wall and over 30 large display TVs. The largest six of these have 85 inch screens. There are also seven VIP areas known as “caves” for exclusive game-day events and dozens of recliners to relax in as you watch the action.
All in all the area offers space for over 200 sports fans.
Opening hours are:
- Monday – Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.
- Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. (Bar until 2:00 a.m.)
- Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. (Bar until 2:00 a.m.)
- Sunday: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.
Yellow Brick Road Casino is located at 800 W Genesee St, Chittenango, NY 13037.
Also opening shortly will be:
- Akwesasne Mohawk Casino, Hogansburg, partnered with The Stars Group which has announced a merger with Flutter for 2020. Opening is due in the fall and sports betting will operate under the FoxBet brand.
- Three further Seneca Indian Nation casinos are considering launching sports betting in Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Salamanca.
There is no online or mobile sports betting so placing bets from home is not legal. This won’t change unless the legislature can get a new sports betting act on the books.
What’s the minimum age to bet?
While New York allows some gambling such as buying lottery tickets for 18-year-olds, the minimum age for sports betting is 21.
Can I make bets online or on my mobile device in NY?
New York does not allow online gambling or mobile gambling. You are not allowed to place sports bets using your mobile device.
There is no legal online poker or online casino games permitted in New York. If you are playing these games or sports betting online while in New York, you are doing so at an unregulated site. You have no legal protection in the event anything goes wrong.
You can, however, play online poker at Global Poker and online casino games at Chumba for real money under sweepstakes law.
Those in New York wanting more legal and regulated online gaming options should lobby their state senator and assemblyman. Requesting their legislators approve a bill to allow online gaming in New York could help tip the scales in their favor.
Are the odds the same as in Las Vegas?
PASPA carved out an exemption for states which already had legal sports betting. That is how Las Vegas sportsbooks have managed to operate since 1992.
The odds quoted in Las Vegas vary from casino to casino depending on which technology platform they use. Top Vegas casino owner Caesars Entertainment is partnered with three of New York’s sports betting casinos, so the odds should generally match those on offer in Vegas.
Any differences that exist will usually be the result of local promotions and special offers.
The gambling tax rate in Nevada is 6.75 percent while it is 10 percent in New York. While significant, the difference is not enough to have any real effect on the odds posted in New York.
What games can I bet on in NY?
The NYSGC allows betting on 11 sports. Betting is restricted to specific tournaments or leagues. Click on the name of the sport to see exactly what bets are allowed for each:
- Auto Racing: NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Outdoor Truck Series, Formula One and IndyCar Series
- Baseball: MLB and Olympics
- Basketball: NBA, WNBA and NCAA Division I
- Boxing: Professional Title and Qualifying Title Bouts Sanctioned by the IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO and the Olympics
- UFC/MMA Fighting Sports: UFC and Bellator MMA
- Football: NFL, CFL and NCAA FBS
- Golf: PGA Tour Events, PGA Tour Champions, LPGA, European Tour and Ryder Cup
- Hockey: NHL, NCAA Division I and Olympics
- Rugby: “World Rugby” World Cup
- Soccer: IFA World Cup and Qualifiers, MLS, UEFA Champions League (Group Stage and Beyond), English Premier League, Spanish la Liga, German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A, French Ligue I, Mexican Liga Bancomer, UEFA Europa League (Group Stage and Beyond), CONCACAF Gold Cup (Group Stage and Beyond) and CONMEBOL Copa America (Group Stage and Beyond)
- Tennis: USTA Pro Events, ATP Tour Events (500 Series and Above), WTA Tour Events (International and Above) and Grand Slam Tournaments (Main Events Only)
Fans of local college teams are not allowed to bet on events where their home team is participating.
The NYSGC will update this list as time goes on but the regulatory mood probably won’t allow betting on esports or on esoteric events such as the Oscars. New Jersey experimented with allowing bets on the Oscars in 2019.
What bet types are allowed for New York sports bets?
As with the range of permitted sports, the NYSGC specifies what bet types are allowed for each sport. Some of the most popular bet types allowed by the regulations are:
Moneyline bets
Moneyline bets are simple bets on the outcome of a game. The odds on moneyline bets are slightly more complicated if you aren’t an experienced sports bettor.
Odds are quoted as a positive or negative number. For example, an NFL game between the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys might see moneyline odds of:
- Buffalo Bills +150
- Dallas Cowboys -110
The + sign means that the Bills are the underdogs in the game. The larger the number, the higher or longer the odds. That means a wager on the Bills would return more money than your original stake if they win. If you bet $100 in this case, you would win $150 because the odds are +150.
The Cowboys are the favorite so you will win less for every dollar you bet. You have to bet $110 to win $100 here.
Futures bets
Futures bets are wagers on events where the outcome will not be known for some time. Allowable futures bets are specified precisely by the NYSGC. For example if you’re an NHL fan and want to bet on the winner of the Stanley Cup, you can.
Spread bets
Spread bets are not bets on which team will win, but on whether a team will beat expectations. In the moneyline example above, the Bills are the underdogs. With a spread bet you can still win on the Bills even if they lose the game. It’s a great way to bet on your team when you think they are unlikely to win but may cover the spread.
The sportsbook quotes a spread which is based on their central estimate of the most likely score. If your team wins by more than the spread, you win your bet. If your team loses by less than the spread, you win. For example, if you bet on the Cowboys -3 and they win by at least 4, you win your bet. If you take the Bills +3 and they lose by 2 or 1 or tie or win, you would be a winner.
Totals bets
The winner of a match is irrelevant in a totals bet. The bet depends only on the total of both teams’ scores at the end of the match. You bet on whether the final score total will be over or under a figure quoted.
In a recent baseball match between the Dodgers and the Padres, the totals bet was quoted as:
- LA Dodgers O 10.5 +100
- SD Padres U 10.5 -130
In this game, the bookmaker expects the most probable total runs in the game to be 10.5. If you take the over, you need at least 11 runs to win. If you take the under, you win if the total scores combine for 10 or fewer runs. The difference in the odds quoted for each determines your exact payout and provides the bookmaker’s profit.
The O and the U next to each team’s name differentiates the over from the under.
Parlays
Parlay bets are extremely popular because they connect several simple bets to allow for a big win from a small initial wager.
In a parlay bet, you wager on multiple games, usually taking place on the same day. Instead of making individual bets on each game, you make a single wager combining all your bets. To win the parlay you must win all the bets included. If any of the bets are losers, you lose the parlay.
The chances of guessing the winners of multiple games are much lower than predicting just a single game. For that reason, the odds you get for making a parlay wager are much higher than for a simple moneyline bet. That means a much larger potential win.
A stake of only a few dollars can potentially lead to a six-figure win—if you can get very, very lucky.
In-Game Betting
In-game or in-play betting refers to bets placed after a match has started. The NYSGC allows all its permitted bets for each sport to be made in-game.
There are sports betting taxes, do I have to pay them?
New York levies a 10 percent gambling tax on sports betting, the same as for other gambling games. This tax is paid by the operator, not by the customer.
If you do win, your gains are normally taxable. If you are in doubt, talk to a financial expert.
Daily Fantasy Sports In New York
Daily fantasy sports are legal and regulated in New York.
On Aug 3, 2016, the state enacted a law that allows DFS sites to serve the New York population. Major operators like DraftKings and FanDuel, which had previously been forced to abandon the state under an order from Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, returned to the state.
A 2017 report from the NYSGC showed DFS operators generated $18,621,700 in gross gaming revenue in New York from September 2016 through January 2017. In other words, they averaged $3,724,340 each month.
The state collected 15 percent, or a total of $2,796,182, in taxes from DFS operators during that period.
Extrapolated estimates would put annual DFS revenues in New York at $44.6 million per year with taxes around $6.7 million.
How big is the NY sports betting market?
The American Gaming Association estimates Americans bet $154 billion on sports in 2016. Nearly all of those wagers were made through illegal channels, like personal bookies and offshore websites.
Based upon per-capita rates of betting, New York’s 19.75 million residents likely bet around $9.38 billion on sports in 2016.
Who is the regulator if I have a problem?
If you have any problems with bets you have placed or any other issue with a specific operator, you should first talk to the casino management. If that doesn’t work, or you have any general issues to do with sports betting, you can contact the regulator:
New York State Gaming Commission
- Main Office: (518) 388-3300
- General Questions or Comments: info@gaming.ny.gov
- Freedom of Information Requests: Foil-Request@gaming.ny.gov
- Lottery Security: (518) 388-3416
Mailing Address:
New York State Gaming Commission, PO Box 7500, Schenectady, New York 12301-7500
NYSGC Facilities Offices
The NYSGC also has facilities offices at the main casinos:
Turning Stone Casino
- PO Box 808,Verona, NY 13476
- Phone: (315) 363-2803 / Available 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Mohawk Casino
- P.O. Box 869, Hogansburg, New York 13655
- Phone: (518) 358-6302 / Available 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Seneca Niagara Casino
- P.O. Box 1050, Niagara Falls, New York 14303
- Phone: (716) 284-5578 / Available 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Seneca Allegany Casino
- PO Box 546, Salamanca, NY 14779
- Phone: (716) 945-4813 / Available 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Seneca Buffalo Casino
- One Fulton Street, Buffalo, NY 14204
- Phone: (716) 710-4449 / Available 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Yellow Brick Road Casino
- 800 West Genesee Street, Chittenango, NY 13037
- Phone: (315) 366-9427 / Available 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Resorts World New York City Casino
- 110-00 Rockaway Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11420
- Phone: (718) 215-2828
Empire City Casino Yonkers Raceway
- 810 Yonkers Ave., Yonkers, NY 10704
- Phone: (914) 968-4200
Saratoga Casino & Raceway
- 342 Jefferson St., Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
- Phone: (518) 584-2110
Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack
- 5857 Route 96, Farmington, NY 14425
- Phone: (585) 924-3232
Monticello Casino & Raceway
- 204 State Route 17B, Monticello, NY 12701
- Phone: (845) 794-4100
Hamburg Gaming at The Fairgrounds
- 5600 McKinley Parkway, Hamburg, NY 14075
- Phone: (716) 646-6109
Tioga Downs Casino
- 2384 W. River Rd., Nichols, NY 13812-1406
- Phone: 1-888-WIN-TIOGA
Vernon Downs Casino & Hotel
- 4229 Stuhlman Rd., Vernon, NY 13476
- Phone: 1-877-88-VERNON
Batavia Downs
- 8315 Park Rd., Batavia, NY 14020
- Phone: (585) 343-3750
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