new-york-legal-sports-betting-laws

Although New York legalized retail casinos in 2013, it was only until Supreme Court deemed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 unlawful in May 2018 that casinos could offer sports wagers.

New Yorkers also had to wait even longer to place bets online legally. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an amendment in November 2021, allowing approved online sportsbooks to go live on January 8, 2022, in the Empire State.
New York Sports betting handle passed the $2 Billion Mark in October 2023 setting a new all-time record for a single month

Sports Betting Laws in New York

  • Players must be at least 21 years old to place bets in New York.
  • The sports betting industry is regulated by the New York State Gaming Commission
  • The state collects a 51% tax from sports wagers placed online.
  • New York sportsbooks cannot accept wagers on games or events involving in-state collegiate teams.

In January 2021, the budget director for New York, Robert Mujica, went on record and estimated that the model would generate around $500 Million per year in tax revenue. After approved providers were given the green light, offshore sportsbook Bovada ended operations in the state on June 2021.

What you can legally bet on in NY State:

  • Pro sports (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, UFC, Tennis & More)
  • College Sports events (NCAA: March Madness, college football, etc.)
  • Team futures (such as “to win the NBA championship” “to lift the Stanley Cup”, “to make the playoffs” and so on
  • Individual props within games (over/under points for one player in an NBA games, for example)
  • Parlays and live betting/in-game parlays

What you can’t bet on legally in NY State:

  • NCAA events involving in-state college teams
  • Games / events where most of the participants are 18 or younger
  • Some types of props / futures bets (like MVP award, Cy Young, Heisman trophy winners etc) which require voting

Legal Sports Betting Options

Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the budget legislation bill A3009 to allow selected online wagering providers to operate in the state. After assessing license bids, the New York Gaming Commission gave the green light to two consortiums. Bally Sports, Bet MGM, DraftKings, and Fan Duel was the first group to gain approval. PointsBet, Caesars, WynnBet, Kamb, and Resorts World formed the second successful collective.

Upon being selected, these providers had to pay a one-time setup fee of $25 Million to set up online sports betting servers at New York Casinos. Each sportsbook also has to pay an annual hosting fee for mobile betting servers on top of the 51% tax rate on income.

Also, over ten retail locations accept sports bets in the state.

Sportsbooks in New York and their respective casino partners
Sportsbook Casino Partner
Akwesasne Mohawk Sportsbook Akwesasne Mohawk Casino
DraftKings Del Lago Resort Casino
FanDuel Tioga Downs
Bet365 Resorts World Catskills
Rivers Sportsbook Rivers Casino
The Lounge with Caesars Sports Point Place Casino
The Lounge with Caesars Sports Turning Stone Resort and Casino
The Lounge with Caesars Sports Yellow Brick Road Casino
Seneca Allegany Sportsbook Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino
Seneca Buffalo Sportsbook Seneca Buffalo Casino
Seneca Niagra Sportsbook Seneca Niagra Casino

After satisfying all statutory and regulatory requirements, The New York State Gaming Commission informed the public that Caesars Entertainment Inc.’s Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings Inc., FanDuel Inc., and Rush Street Interactive Inc (BetRivers) could go live on January 8, 2022. However, the other five operators are still working on getting things in order to fulfill legal requirements set by the commission.


The Path to New York Legalizing Sports Betting

  • November 2013 – A casino gambling amendment is passed to permit the construction and running of four upstate casinos, and three others within the city limits seven years later.
  • May 2018 – The Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992
  • July 2019 – The first sportsbets are made at the casinos in place.
  • January 2021 – Governor Andrew Cuomo announces he is ready to bring online sports bets to the state of New York. The initial proposition copies the New Hampshire model, which allows a sole operator that gives 51% of revenues to the state.
  • April 2021 – Debates ensue about the betting model that New York will implement. The Governor wins and offers up a bidding war to operators, who must pay up to 50% in taxes as well as pay $5 Million a year for hosting and a one off $25 Million license fee.
  • August 2021 – All the bids that are placed for New York to choose from are announced.
  • November 2021 – The NYS Gaming Commission approved two consortiums of online sports betting license bidders. A total of nine sportsbooks face review before being able to go live.
  • January 2022 – The commission announces that four mobile sports betting providers – Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Rush Street Interactive – can go live on January 8.

The US Online Sports Betting Capital

The New York State Gaming Commission announced that mobile sports betting providers handled $3.1 billion in bets and made $204.6 million in gross gaming revenue two months after their launch.

As the Empire State’s sports betting tax rate is set at 51%, over $104.3 million was generated in tax revenue.

These numbers broke records set by neighboring state New Jersey ($1.3 billion in October 2021), making New York the US sports betting capital.

New York Sports Franchises

New York has one of the richest sporting histories in the whole of the US. It has one of the best baseball teams the world has ever seen, a strong NBA franchise with championship titles, multiple NFL teams, and some talented hockey and soccer outfits.

Basketball: New York Knicks

Founded in 1946 and playing from the Madison Square Garden in New York City, the Knicks are one of the all-time great teams of the NBA that Phil Jackson has ever coached. The Knicks managed to win two championships in the early ’70s, with wins in 1970 and 1973.

In more recent times, the Knicks won conference titles in 1994 and 1999, as well as a division win in 2013.

MLB: New York Yankees

Established back in 1901 and sometimes referred to as the pinstripers or even murderers row, the Yankees are the most successful team in the history of baseball. The franchise holds an impressive 27 World Series wins from 40 appearances and even won the series four times in a row (1936-1939).

The pinstripers hit their home runs in the Yankee Stadium (II) ballpark in the Bronx and claimed their last World Series win in 2009, with an East Division title in 2019. The Yankees have set countless records with their play throughout the years, and recently in 2018, they set the new major league record for having a .569 winning percentage.

NFL: The New York Giants

Founded in 1923, the Giants are New York’s most successful football team – much to the dismay of their fierce rivals: the New York Jets. The team has had six homes in its near 100 years in existence, but now they play from the MetLife Stadium in Rutherford.

The ‘Jints’ have won eight championships, appeared in the playoffs 32 times, and won the Super Bowl four times (1986, 1990. 2007, and 2011).

The team managed to find some form in the 2016 season, making the playoffs only to lose to the Green Bay Packers by a heavy margin during the wild card round.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is sports betting legal in New York?

Yes, people over the age of 21 can place wagers on a range of sporting events and professional leagues - NFL, NBA, MLB, etc. - at casinos and online.

However, New York sportsbooks cannot accept wagers on games or events involving in-state collegiate teams.

How old do I have to be to sports bet in New York?

You must be at least 21 years of age to place sports bets within the state of New York.