Committee Hearing Hopes To Solve The New York Mobile Betting Situation

• NY A 6113 (NY SB 17 in the Senate) will continue its discussion in a public hearing on Wednesday.
• Sports bets will be accepted at the tribal casinos and upstate commercial casinos.
• Sports betting in New York is expected to launch before the NFL season begins.

NEW YORK – As the New York Senate’s Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee undergo a public hearing on Wednesday, legislators are hoping they can come to an agreement to bring mobile sports betting to New York.

Starting at 11:00 am in the Van Buren Hearing Room A, committee chair and mobile bill sponsor, Senator Joseph Addabbo (D- Howard Beach) will hear oral testimony from a select group of representatives around the sporting industry.

Those in attendance will be league spokespeople from the NBA, PGA, NFLPA, and the New York Racing Association; furthermore, sportsbook operators and providers such as FanDuel and Scientific Games will send representatives as well. A representative from the local Seneca Nation of New York will also reportedly be attending.

However, the head of the state gaming commission under Cuomo, Robert Williams, will not be in attendance for the hearing.

“We need clarity,” Addabbo said regarding Cuomo’s negative viewpoint on mobile wagering.

This hearing comes days after amendments were made to NY A 6113 in attempts to gain support from the governor as well as all invested parties.

Those most invested in the matter are the tribal casinos, whose online gambling exclusivity is at the center of the debate. Aside from the Seneca Nation of New York, those capable of having mobile sportsbooks at their casinos include the Oneida Indian Nation and the St. Regis Mohawk Nation.

However, in the text of the bill in discussion, A 6113, mobile sports betting would be permitted at the four upstate commercial casinos as well, making changes to the tribal casino’s exclusivity zones.

“We want to make sure we are consistent with the tribal compact,” said Addabbo.

While the tribes are able to opt out of offering mobile sports betting, if they were to agree to the terms, they could accept betting action from players all over the state. However, this also means that the commercial casinos (Resorts World Catskills, Tioga Downs, Rivers Casino, and del Lago Resort) would be able to accept wagers from bettors within these established tribal exclusivity zones as well.

Sports betting is expected to launch before the upcoming NFL season, but under the current regulations, bettors would have to travel to the four upstate casinos (or tribal casinos) to place a bet. Legislators are aware that on-location wagering will not be sufficient for tackling the legal sports betting market in New York, as seen by the high mobile betting numbers across the Hudson in New Jersey.

The state even attempted to approve mobile wagering in the budget near the beginning of the year but was unable to come to any arrangements.

The New York legislative session ends on June 18, so any potential online gambling bills will need to be approved before then if New Yorkers want the option to bet from their phones this year.

News tags: New York | NY A 6113 | NY SB 17 | sports betting