Live from New York, it’s mobile sports betting!
Well, not quite yet — but New York is now one step closer to becoming the next U.S. market to offer fully online sports wagering.
After a history of staunch opposition to legalized sports betting, Gov. Andrew Cuomo shockingly flipped the script and voiced his support for mobile betting early in 2021. After signing New York’s mobile betting law in April of the same year, New York is expected to go fully online by late 2021 or early 2022.
Read on for all the latest on New York sports betting.
Population: 19.4 million
Legal age for sports betting: 21
Online sports betting: Coming soon
Retail sportsbooks: Yes
Sports betting revenue: $10.7 million
Yes, sports betting is now legal in New York. Legislation was initially passed in 2013 to allow four upstate casinos to take in-person sports wagers. The first sports bets were placed in July of 2019, just over a year after the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was overturned.
For now, all wagers must be placed in person at an upstate commercial or tribal casino. But mobile betting is on the way, and state regulators will approve at least four online sportsbook licenses when all is said and done.
Monitor the state-by-state progress for each U.S. jurisdiction with our legal tracker.
Mobile sports betting was legalized in New York on April 19, 2021, moving NY one step closer to joining New Jersey and Pennsylvania as northeastern states offering online wagering.
The following timeline will highlight some important dates in NY sports betting history.
Things took a quick and unexpected turn when outgoing Gov. Andrew Cuomo revealed he had included online sports gambling in his 2021 state budget.
After officially signing off on NY’s mobile sports betting law in April 2021 — and outlining some rather unfavorable conditions for interested providers — Cuomo and the New York State Gaming Commission (NYGC) set an August 9, 2021 deadline for FanDuel, DraftKings, and other providers to submit their bids to obtain a mobile betting license in New York.
The NYGC is expected to announce successful applicants by January 2022. A minimum of two platform providers and four total sportsbook licenses will be handed out at that time.
If you’re 21 or older, you may bet on sports in New York. However, with casinos located hours from NYC, sports betting isn’t as accessible as it is in neighboring states.
Read on for a brief overview of the current sports wagering landscape in the Empire State.
Legal ageYou must be at least 21 if you would like to place a legal sports bet or play casino games in New York. Adults 18 and older are permitted to wager on horse races and purchase lottery tickets in NY.
Retail sportsbooksRetail sportsbooks can be found in four commercial casinos and seven tribal casinos — all of which are inconveniently located hours from New York City.
Mobile bettingWhile sports bettors are free to visit a New York casino to place a sports wager, mobile betting is not yet available.
Remote registrationRemote registration is not yet available in New York as sports bettors are required to register in person at a retail sportsbook. This should change as soon as mobile sportsbooks enter the market in early 2022.
Within state bordersIn order to place a sports wager at one of New York’s retail sportsbooks, you’ll need to be physically present. Without mobile betting, there is no option to place NY bets remotely.
Taxable winningsAll forms of gambling winnings are subject to a federal tax of 24% in the US. New York residents can expect sportsbooks to withhold an additional 8.82% of winnings over $5,000.
Although the Empire State has yet to roll out its first online sportsbooks, New Yorkers can still scratch their online sports betting itch by visiting neighboring states that have mobile gambling regulations in place.
Both New Jersey and Pennsylvania offer fully remote registration, plenty of sportsbook options, and favorable promotions for new bettors.
New York will be offering mobile sports betting in the not too distant future. Residents and visitors will soon be able to place wagers from home, their favorite sports bar, or anywhere else in NY.
Until then, New Yorkers will be limited to in-person bets. It’s still unclear what the competitive landscape will look like with the arrival of online sportsbooks, but with providers forking over up to 50% of all revenue to the state, they may not be able to pass along the best odds to bettors.
The only way to start betting in New York is to visit a retail sportsbook at one of the state’s 11 participating casinos.
New York sports bettors will have to factor in both betting odds and proximity when determining which sportsbook(s) to select. All brick-and-mortar locations are located in Upstate New York, so betters coming from NYC will have a trip on their hands regardless of the sportsbook they choose.
Until mobile sports betting is introduced, New Yorkers will be forced to visit a casino to register with a retail sportsbook. This will require some personal information and a valid driver’s license or another form of identification.
While mobile sportsbooks will offer bonuses to new bettors (deposit match, risk-free bet, sign-up bonus, etc.), New Yorkers aren’t likely to benefit from any promotional perks when registering and betting in person at a casino.
New York sports bettors are required to visit a retail sportsbook to register and make their first deposit. When online options become available, the ability to make deposits remotely will make for a much more convenient gambling experience in NY.
Sports bettors can find all of the popular types of wagers in New York. From moneylines and spreads to parlays and live betting, players have plenty of options.
Before placing your first bet, it’s important to research and understand each type of wager you’re considering.
Although it may be more difficult without mobile betting, it’s also a good idea to try and compare the odds set by multiple sportsbooks. This will ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck with each wager.
Sports bet winnings can be withdrawn on-site at a retail sportsbook. In the future, New Yorkers will be able to access their cash from home via some of the common methods found in states with legalized mobile sports betting. PayPal is the most popular option here.
Reading the odds New York sportsbooks use American odds as the default option to show favorites and underdogs. If you see a minus sign (-), you’re looking at a favorite. The number next to the minus sign will indicate the amount you’ll have to wager in order to make $100 in profit. For example, -110 odds would mean a bet of $110 would need to be made to come away with $100 in winnings.
Underdogs are accompanied by a plus (+) sign. The number following the plus sign tells you the amount you are able to win when placing a $100 wager. For example, +180 odds would indicate $180 is up for grabs when betting $100.
Check out our odds converter to view odds in other formats, such as fractional and decimal odds.
New York has pulled in nearly $30 million in sports betting revenue since the first sportsbooks launched in July 2019. This includes a six-month stretch (March - September 2020) of no gambling revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic.
With mobile operators set to pay up to 50% of their revenue to the state once online betting is launched in late 2021/early 2022, New York projects to clear the $400 million mark in annual sports gambling tax revenue.
The New York Gaming Commission has yet to release NY’s total betting handle, but expect this page to be updated as soon as that information becomes available.
|
Year |
Total handle |
Revenue |
Hold percentage |
Tax revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2019 |
- |
$7.7M |
- |
$778K |
|
2020 |
- |
$10.7M |
- |
$1.1M |
|
Month |
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
January |
$3.5M |
$1.9M |
N/A |
|
February |
$1.1M |
-$179K |
N/A |
|
March |
$1.8M |
$99K |
N/A |
|
April |
$1.3M |
- |
N/A |
|
May |
$1.5M |
- |
N/A |
|
June |
$1.8M |
- |
N/A |
|
July |
- |
- |
$349K |
|
August |
- |
- |
$828K |
|
September |
- |
$1.4M |
$2.2M |
|
October |
- |
$2.6M |
$2.2M |
|
November |
- |
$2.6M |
$1.3M |
|
December |
- |
$2.2M |
$780K |
|
Total |
$11.3M |
$10.7M |
$7.7M |
New York sports bettors can find betting lines for most professional and college sports. The main exception here is in-state college teams and college games played in New York. Anything involving amateur athletes under 18 years old is off-limits as well.
PoliticsThe New York State Gaming Commission prohibits betting on any political event.
Entertainment award ceremoniesCelebrity and pop-culture events, such as the Oscars and Academy Awards, are off-limits in New York.
EsportsNew York’s sports betting law doesn’t include specific language about esports, so for now it should be considered illegal.
While New Yorkers are free to bet on out-of-state college games, wagers cannot be placed on New York-based teams or any game being played in NY.
By the numbers, there are plenty of options for New York sports bettors when it comes to placing physical bets.
After being introduced in July of 2019, the total number of retail sportsbooks has grown to 11. Each can be found at an upstate commercial or tribal casino.
|
Sportsbook |
Venue |
Address |
Phone number |
Odds provider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DraftKings Sportsbook |
Del Lago Resort and Casino |
1133 NY-414, Waterloo, NY 13165 |
(315) 946-1777 |
SBTech |
|
FanDuel Sportsbook at Tioga Downs |
Tioga Downs Casino Resort |
2384 W River Rd, Nichols, NY 13812 |
(877) 689-0662 |
Flutter |
|
Rivers Sportsbook |
Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady |
1 Rush St, Schenectady, NY 12305 |
(518) 579-8800 |
IGT |
|
Sportsbook 360 |
Resorts World Catskills | 888 Resorts World Dr, Monticello, NY 12701 | (833) 586-9358 |
bet365 |
|
Sports Lounge |
Seneca Allegany Casino |
777 Seneca Allegany Blvd, Salamanca, NY 14779 |
(888) 913-3377 |
Kambi |
|
Sports Lounge |
Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino |
1 Fulton St, Buffalo, NY 14204 |
(877) 873-6322 |
Kambi |
|
Sports Lounge |
Seneca Niagara Casino |
310 4th St, Niagara Falls, NY 14303 |
(877) 873-6322 |
Kambi |
|
Sticks Sports Book |
Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort |
873 NY-37, Hogansburg, NY 13655 |
(518) 358-2222 |
IGT |
|
The Lounge with Caesars Sports |
Point Place Casino |
450 452 NY-31, Bridgeport, NY 13030 |
(315) 366-9610 |
William Hill |
|
The Lounge with Caesars Sports |
Turning Stone Resort Casino |
5218 Patrick Rd, Verona, NY 13478 |
(800) 771-7711 |
William Hill |
|
The Lounge with Caesars Sports |
Yellow Brick Road Casino |
800 W Genesee St, Chittenango, NY 13037 |
(315) 366-9400 |
William Hill |
New York sports fans are among the most passionate in the nation. When it comes to betting on your favorite NY-based squads, however, it’s important to do your due diligence to ensure your bets are well-researched and unbiased. Our how to bet guides are a good place to start.
In addition to sports betting, New Yorkers can also find all of the casino games you would expect to encounter at a commercial or tribal location. Horse Racing and Daily Fantasy Sports have been legalized in NY as well.
Aside from horse race betting, there are no legal forms of online gambling in New York. However, nearby states offer a great alternative to those looking to place bets remotely.
CasinoUpstate commercial casinos have been operating in New York since Gov. Cuomo pushed a 2013 proposal to create more jobs and encourage New Yorkers to remain in state to fulfill their gambling needs.
Today, New Yorkers can visit more than two dozen casinos in the Empire State while enjoying classic table games like blackjack, craps, and three and four card poker. NY also features over 36,000 slot machines.
For online casino lovers, New York offers sweepstakes casinos. If that’s not enough, players can download a NJ or PA mobile casino app and cross the border to play.
PokerLive poker rooms can be found in many of New York’s commercial and tribal casinos. While online poker is illegal in NY, many players gamble with virtual currencies on sweepstakes online poker sites like Global Poker.
Horse racingHorse racing is legal and regulated in the Empire State. The three largest tracks in New York are Aqueduct, Saratoga, and Belmont Park.
New Yorkers are able to place bets on-site, remotely from home, or at one of many off-track betting (OTB) sites.
Daily Fantasy SportsDaily Fantasy Sports (DFS) have been legal and regulated in New York since 2016. Heavy hitters like FanDuel and DraftKings lead the charge, accounting for most of the DFS action in the state.
The New York State Gaming Commission has taken measures to ensure the issue of problem gambling is taken very seriously in New York.
Both short and long-term voluntary self-exclusion options have been made available to New Yorkers who want to ban themselves from all betting activity, and although New York has yet to legalize online gambling, expect to see operators offer tools to allow players to set deposit and session limits when they are made available.
In addition to New York, the following states have also legalized sports betting since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was overturned in 2018: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
While it may be tempting to bet on sports via offshore sportsbooks, it's strongly recommended these online platforms are avoided at all costs. Legal — and regulated — online sportsbooks will be coming to NY soon, so resist the urge to risk your bankroll with the following sites:
Yes, NY sports betting is legal. While mobile betting is on the way, in-person wagering is the only current option for now.
To place a sports bet in New York, you must visit one of the state’s 11 casinos and register with a retail sportsbook.
Most of the popular sports bets can be placed in New York. This includes totals, moneylines, point spreads, parlays, futures bets, and more.
There are currently no online sportsbooks in New York. The first NY online sportsbooks are projected to go live early in 2022.
Yes, but you may only bet on horse racing via your mobile device in New York. Sports bets must be made in-person at a casino.
Yes, the odds you’ll find in New York will typically mirror what’s been set at at least one sportsbook in Las Vegas.
New York sports bettors must be at least 21 to bet on sports or play any other casino games. If you are 18, you may bet on horse races or play the New York Lottery.
Yes, Bet365 operates a brick-and-mortar sportsbook at the Resorts World Catskills in Monticello. Bet365 should be expected to apply for a license to offer mobile betting as well.
Sports wagers can be placed at one of New York’s 11 retail sportsbooks.
You may place wagers on New York-based pro teams. However, bets cannot be made on in-state college teams or any college game played within state lines.
Neither residents nor their visitors may place online sports bets in New York.
New York has pulled in nearly $30 million since taking its first sports bets in 2019.
Sports bets can be placed at any of New York’s 11 retail sportsbooks.
New York City (for mobile betting in NJ and PA), Syracuse, Rochester.
