New York Legalizes Sports Betting

In a recent survey, 23.2 million American adults reported that they planned to bet $4.3 billion on the Super Bowl, with 7.6 million of those indicating that they would place bets online. In a similar survey, only seven states – New York, Nevada, Massachusetts, Michigan, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia – had legalized sports betting. Today, legal sports betting is available in 19 U.S. states. However, some states still have restrictions.

New York has recently legalized online betting for sports. Since January 8, 2022, sports fans in the state can legally place wagers online. The New York State Gaming Commission has approved mobile betting licenses for four operators. These include Bally’s, DraftKings NY, FanDuel NY, and the YES Network. While most states have legalized sports betting, a new wave of gambling regulation could make it even more difficult to regulate online gambling.

While the federal government is pushing for online sports betting, New York has remained silent. Last year, the state legislature approved a $212 billion budget, which included plans for online betting. The lawmakers hope to have the system fully operational by the Super Bowl in 2022. Despite a rocky start, New York is on the right track to legalize sports betting. Its governor, Charlie Baker, and the Democratic-controlled General Court have endorsed the expansion of legal sports betting in the state.