Spectrum New York Study Bill And Mobile Sports Betting On Hold

• Spectrum Gaming Group has not yet submitted its New York study bill.
• The New York state budget seems like it will not include legal sports betting again.
• Mobile sports betting is unlikely to pass in New York in 2020.

ALBANY, N.Y. – The Spectrum Gaming Group has not yet submitted their New York sports betting study and mobile sports betting is unlikely to pass in New York.

The New York legislature was feverishly working on passing a state budget on Wednesday. In the end, neither retail sports betting nor mobile sports betting will make it onto the state budget.

All casinos across the United States have closed due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. So, New York cannot rely on their few sportsbooks to make the necessary impact that they would need it to have.

As for mobile sports betting, the activity has not been legalized in New York yet. Spectrum was set to submit their study bill to the New York legislature on Wednesday. Spectrum has helped a few states to understand what they need to do to get the most out of legal sports betting.

They have assisted states such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania to come up with their sports betting infrastructure.

This study could have fast-tracked New York mobile sports betting into the state budget, which would have helped legalized the activity. But Spectrum did not deliver their findings on Wednesday. Spectrum can still do so, but the next due date is May 1. That is much further out than the submission of the state budget.

It is increasingly likely that mobile sports betting needs a constitutional amendment to happen in New York.

To get mobile wagering to be a part of New York sports betting, a nearly two-year process must be undertaken.

Governor Andrew Cuomo insists that mobile sports betting must go through a statewide referendum. To do so in New York, mobile wagering must pass in the state’s legislature twice and then be subjected to a statewide referendum. That is how a state constitutional amendment happens in New York.

Only then can mobile wagering take place. State Senator Joseph Addabbo has become frustrated with the lack of New York mobile sports betting.

New Jersey has taken wagers from many New York players who simply need to cross the state line to place their bets. Sen. Addabbo has tried many different methods to expedite mobile sports betting in New York. However, if he started the constitutional amendment process in 2018, New Yorkers could have been possibly voting on mobile wagering this year.

News tags: Andrew Cuomo | Joseph Addabbo | mobile sports betting | New Jersey | New York | New York State Budget | Pennsylvania | Spectrum Gaming Group