The people of New York ratified the state’s 2nd constitution in a statewide vote in January 15-17, 1822. This constitution banned gambling statewide.
The law took effect on December 31, 1822.
Casino & Lottery
In the years we’ve been running this site, we’ve received the same question time and time again: is online gambling legal in NY? Yes, New Yorkers can play online without legal repercussions. New York gambling law does not specifically outlaw online gambling. Thus, players can enjoy real money play at NY online casinos, poker rooms, and sportsbooks without fines or prosecutions. Running an online internet-gambling website is illegal in New York, so don’t become an operator. Otherwise, you’re free to play online.
This guide to New York online gambling has a list of laws, as well as land-based gaming venues. We provide readers with offshore, licensed internet New York gambling sites that include online casinos, sports betting, or online poker. In this article, we also provide a New York iGaming FAQ, a timeline of key events, and the latest updates on NY online gaming bills.
A 2013 referendum approved sports betting in New York state, but limited sports betting to four upstate New York land-based casinos. All four of these casinos now offer full sportsbooks on-site. State regulations allow tribal casinos to offer sports betting, as well. Whether online sportsbooks eventually launch are another matter. Expect to see this issue heat up in 2021, but for now, players cannot wager at regulated online bookmakers.
Bovada is the best online sportsbook for New York sports bettors. Sports bettors at Bovada receive a $750 welcome bonus when they make their first deposit with Bitcoin. They also have access to a wide range of point spreads, over/under totals, money-line bets, and prop bets. The live betting odds includes a full slate of in-play betting options.
Online casinos are not regulated by New York authorities. New Yorkers play online, but without responsible gaming resources or consumer protections. Again, it is important for NY online casino gamblers to choose trustworthy operators, which requires truthful online casino reviews like you’ll find on this site.
The New York State Gaming Commission authorized a study of online gambling in August 2019. The research focuses on the feasibility and potential tax revenues of online poker and online casinos. The study is sweeping, including a report on existing land-based casinos and the inclusion of three more New York City-area land-based casinos. Though the New York iGaming study’s release has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, its release in 2021 likely will report on the advantages of legalizing online casinos.”
The best online casino for New Yorkers is Cafe Casino. Cafe offers a 350% up to $2,500 welcome bonus for new depositors, but is subject to change. Slots players at Cafe Casino can enjoy progressive jackpot slots like A Night With Cleo, Fast & Sexy, Hercules, and Diamond Dragon. Table game players can choose from several versions of roulette and blackjack, along with new games like Andar Bahar and Teen Patti. The live casino offers Blackjack, Early Payout Blackjack, European Roulette, American Roulette, Live Baccarat, and Live Dealer Super 6.
Online poker exists in a legal gray area, where cardplayers can sign up at unregulated offshore iPoker sites. At the same time, they cannot play in regulated online poker rooms the way residents in New Jersey or Pennsylvania can. Online poker players must read detailed reviews of internet card rooms to assure they pick honest gaming operators. The NY government is missing out on hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue each year from online gambling, so NY politicians could change the law in the next few years.
Ignition Poker is our recommendation to New Yorkers who like online poker. Ignition bought Bovada poker in 2016 and has one of the largest US online poker rooms. It has guaranteed poker tournaments, $2500 weekly freerolls, turbo tournaments, sit-and-go events, jackpot sit-and-go’s, and monster stack poker tournaments. Use features like Zone Poker and anonymous tables to make your card playing sessions more enjoyable. Collect a $1000 welcome bonus on your first deposit. Collect $1250 if you deposit using Bitcoin.
New York doesn’t have regulated online gambling, but New Yorkers can join offshore gaming sites without legal repercussions. State Sen. Joseph Addabbo introduced an online poker bill in 2019, but the bill failed to pass through the legislature. Despite the 2019 failure, Sen. Addabbo continues to push Senate Bill 17D, which will hopefully pass in 2021. Because New York does not have online gaming regulations, the industry is in a legal gray area where it is neither regulated nor prosecuted.
Joseph Addabbo took over as Chair of the Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee from the retired Sen. John Bonacic, who was a longtime supporter of online gambling. Addabbo, a second generation NY politician, now is the ranking supporter of iGaming in New York state.
If you wish to bet on the lottery or place bets on horses, you’ll need to be 18 or older in New York state. If you wish to play in a New York casino, you’ll need to be 18 or older — unless the venue serves alcohol. If it serves alcohol, you must be 21 or older to enter a New York casino. Online gambling sites require players to be 18.
New York gambling laws allow several forms of gaming, but lag behind other US state gambling laws when it comes to online gambling. Lawmakers have considered sportsbook and online gambling legalization bills, but it remains unclear when the state legislature will allow online gambling. Upstate New York has 4 commercial casinos and over a dozen tribal casinos. Because new developments like Del Lago Resort, Rivers Casino in Schenectady, and Resorts World Catskills struggled to meet revenue projections, some analysts believe the gaming market is oversaturated. Tribal casino believe the new casinos are a drag on their businesses.
New York City has two land-based slots casinos. Resorts World Queens on the site of Aquaduct Raceway and Empire City Casino on the site of Yonkers Raceway are the only two gaming facilities in the greater New York metropolitan area. The New York Gaming Commission does not want to place venues in the city, because it would hurt the Upstate New York casinos even further.
New York supports tribal casinos and commercial casinos, along with pari-mutuel racetrack betting. Over the years, racetracks like Tioga Downs and Aquaduct gained the right to operate casino games, thus becoming racinos. The New York Lotto is a major player, while New Yorkers have the right to bet on Powerball and Mega Millions tickets.
Sports betting is more complicated. New York passed a law in 2013 stating it would legalize sports betting if ever the US Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). The SCOTUS did just that on May 14, 2018, though New York state lawmakers have yet to nail down provisions of sports betting.
New York offers a variety of land-based casinos. There are four full-service commercial casinos that include sportsbooks, a variety of tribal casinos ranging from full-service to exclusively video gaming terminals, and race-track adjacent “racinos” offering video gaming terminals alongside pari-mutuel horse racing.
Yes. New York has 3 traditional race tracks and 9 race track casinos. These are the located throughout western New York, the Finger Lakes region, and the Catskills.
Belmont Park is the most famous horse track in New York. Each year, Belmont Park is home to the Belmont Stakes – the third and final leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.
If the winner of the Kentucky Derby goes on to win the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, Belmont Park becomes the center of the horse racing, betting, and sports world for one Saturday evening in early June. If the Triple Crown isn’t on the line, then the Belmont Stakes is a bit of an afterthought.
New York state also has 9 racetrack-casinos, also known as racinos. These horse racing tracks include a slots casinos with hundreds or thousands of slots.
Yes. New York has a variety of off-track betting facilities.
Yes. New York has a variety of off-track betting facilities. These OTBs have simulcasting for over 200 tracks throughout the United States. Dozens of off-track betting facilities exist across New York state.
Yes. Charitable gambling in New York operates through raffles and bingo halls.
The Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn all have bingo halls. The aggregate prize maximum for one bingo game is $6,000, while the maximum single prize per game is $1,000.
The threshold for unlicensed raffles is $30,000. If a single raffle does not anticipate collecting over $5,000, or a cumulative raffle does not anticipate collecting over $30,000 in a calendar year, it is a Category 2 raffle. These raffles no longer require a filing with the Gaming Commission at their conclusion. Effective June 16, 2018, the Gaming Commission also allows the sale of online and mobile raffle tickets.
Yes. Private poker games among friends are technically banned, but you aren’t likely to get in trouble if you don’t charge a rake.
Yes. Private poker games among friends are technically banned, but you aren’t likely to get in trouble if you don’t charge a rake.
New York authorities busted high roller poker games with Wall Street bankers and Hollywood celebrities, which had perhaps $100 million in poker rake. If that isn’t your intention, a private card game likely won’t be raided.
Online social casinos like Zynga, Double Down, Slotomania, and Big Fish Games are available for New Yorkers. MyVegas by MGM Resorts is also available. MGM Resorts owns Yonkers Raceway & Empire City Casino, so MyVegas social casino offers MGM Resorts rewards points you can use at the Yonkers facility.
