- New York Sports Gambling Locations
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- New York Sports Gambling Locations Near Me
Locations throughout the New York area offering standard gym access, personal training, group classes, state of the art equipment, babysitting, kids programs and much more. Players have a few legal gambling options in New York including Indian casinos, racinos, the Lottery, horse race betting and on-site sports betting. Only time will tell whether or not online gambling is in the cards for NY, but if trends continue, we are likely to see some liberalization of the New York state online gambling laws.
New York has one of the longest running relationships with gambling of any state in the US. The state’s first gaming laws were introduced in the 17th century. Although betting is an old activity, laws are constantly evolving (especially recently), and these new legislative shifts lead to a lot of confusion for players.
This NY gambling page looks at all forms of gambling in New York and discusses the state’s laws that cover the activities. We will cover topics, such as casinos, both online and land-based, sports betting, and poker among others. If you know exactly the topic you’d like to know more about, click on one of the navigation buttons to jump straight to the relevant section.
Gambling in New York? What Activities are Legal
Contents
- Gambling in New York? What Activities are Legal
- Online Gambling NY: Sports
- Online Poker
- NY Gambling Overview
- Famous Gamblers from the Empire State
- Frequently Asked Questions
There are many different things that come to mind when one talks about betting. There are charitable ‘casino nights,’ wagers amongst friends, and horse races. On this page, however, we’ll be focusing on large-scale operations such as casinos, sports betting, poker rooms and more. Directly below, we answer what activities you can legally play when gambling in New York. We look at both land-based gaming possibilities as well as the online gambling NY has.
New York Casinos
The most popular form of gambling is done at the handful of New York Casinos. Nothing compares to the glitz and glamor that someone feels when they step onto the game room floor. New York is one of the more restrictive states when it comes to casino gaming, but residents and visitors do have a few gaming options when in the state. The Resorts World Casino is the only gambling hall in NYC, but there is a nice selection of Indian casinos as well as racinos peppered throughout the state (ex. Yonkers Raceway).
At NY’s various land-based gambling sites, you can legally play all of the most popular casino games that we have come to know and love throughout the years. NY doesn’t have traditional casinos yet, but Native American gaming halls and racinos are legal. For those who don’t know what a racino is, it is a horse track that is allowed to carry traditional games, such as slots, but due to the state’s laws can only offer electronic table games including: baccarat, roulette and blackjack. To play traditional live card games you’ll have to visit one of the Indian Casinos in New York.
Online Gambling NY: Casinos
Many players ask “is online gambling legal in NY? The answer, unfortunately, is that there is currently no legal way, in which to play online casino games that payout real cash when in New York. In legal markets, online casinos are quickly becoming the most popular way, in which to play table and slot games. However, until the New York online gambling laws are changed, you won’t be able to play online, even if you are of legal gambling age.Popular Online Casino Games:
- Slots
- Baccarat
- Poker
- Blackjack
- Roulette
- Video-poker
- Sic Bo
- Bingo
- Scratch Cards
It isn’t all doom and gloom in the US though. Although many states have historically taken hard-lined stances towards gambling, recently many places have taken giant leaps forward towards legalizing the activity. New Jersey has legal online casinos, and many New Yorkers have started to gamble using these NJ sites. Gambling at a NJ site, however, is illegal when you are in NY, regardless of what people tell you. Nevertheless, many legislators know it is a tough task to try and halt the spread of online casinos. So, who knows? Perhaps there will be legal online gambling in New York sometime in the future.
Sports Gambling NY
The New York gambling laws are more lax when it comes to sports betting. Officially, NY sports gambling is legal. The State Gamging Commission has approved sports betting at four upstate casinos. However, New York politicians have been playing ping pong back and forth with the law, while they debate the minor details of legality. The current law requires that players be physically present when sports gambling in NY.
Where to Gamble on Sports In NY:
- World Catskills (Kiamesha Lake, NY)
- Rivers Casino (Schenectady, NY)
- Del Lago Casino (Tyre, NY)
- Tioga Downs (Nichols, NY)
To play, you’ll have to venture to the World Catskills in Monticello, NY, the Rivers Casino in Schenectady, the del Lago Casino in Tyre or the Tioga Downs which is situated west of Binghamton. If you’re in the city, the best option for sports bets at this time would be to pop on over the NJ to gamble.
Online Gambling NY: Sports
Once confined to a few locations around America, sports gambling has experienced a major shift after the federal sports betting ban was overturned in May 2018. Now, it is up to states to decide if they will legalize the activity or not. As I stated earlier online gambling in New York is currently prohibited and this extends to sports betting.NY has legalized sports betting but has yet to make a ruling as to whether or not to allow players to place bets from mobile devices. Recent reports suggest that wagering on sports in New York will, for the time being anyway, remain limited to physical sports bets. However, State Sen. Joe Addabbo (D-Queens) said that this doesn’t rule out mobile sports gambling in the future. Should New York online gambling laws change, we will update the info on this page.
Daily Fantasy Sports to Scratch Your Sports Itch
Sports fans do have one online gambling option in New York – Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS). DFS contests are available in the state, but there is a debate about whether DFS actually counts as sports gambling or not. Most have agreed that these sports contests involve enough skill/knowledge that they don’t qualify as sports betting. Until an official ruling is made, the nation’s top DFS operators still offer their products to New Yorkers.
Online Poker
Online poker, like other forms of online gambling in New York, is currently illegal. It is possible to play online at one of the popular online poker rooms, but it is not allowed to play for real money. If you’d like to gamble in New York with a poker game, you’ll need to go to a commercial casino. Social games or casino nights are allowed, but you aren’t allowed to make a profit when playing.
Popular NY Poker Events
Recently the World Poker Tour announced the first ever Deep Stacks event in New York. The event will take place at the Rivers Casino and Resort in Schenectady, NY. 2019’s event will require a buy-in of $1,100. The WPT also has a stop at the Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagra Falls, although on the Canadian side of the falls. Either way, it offers a good opportunity for skilled gamblers to play the popular card game.
Gambling on the New York State Lottery
The New York Lottery, founded in 1966, was the second lottery to be set up in an American state, The NY lottery is connected to the multi-state systems, so residents can play in the huge games like Powerball and Mega Millions. You have to buy tickets in person though, as online ticket sales have not yet been introduced or announced. Since 1967 the lottery has raised 64 billion USD for K-12 schools in New York. In this regard, the NY lotto is similar to that of other state lotteries in that it was set up as a way to generate funds for the state. Nearly 4.5 billion USD has been won as prizes by those gambling in NY on the lotto.
NY Gambling Overview
For a state that isn’t particularly known for its land-based betting options, especially considering Atlantic City is just a short stone’s throw away from NYC; the Empire State is a surprisingly lucrative gaming market. Those gambling in New York using slots spent nearly 40 billion USD in 2019 alone. This figure doesn’t even include table games at Indian Casinos, pari-mutuel horse bets and the Lotto. In addition, online gambling NY options are extremely limited, by that I mean nonexistent. If the laws changed, the market would generate even more money. Below you’ll be taken through the various New York laws governing online betting, the state’s history and how to gamble responsibly in the state.
Important New York Gambling Laws
The first New York gambling law was passed in 1656 when the territory was still under Dutch control. New Netherlands (NY’s name at the time), banned all gambling on the Sabbath. During the revolution, the British outlawed lotteries after it was discovered that they were used to help fund the rebel cause. After independence, convicted lottery patrons were pardoned.
The State’s first constitutions did not mention gambling until 1821 and the modern prohibition of the activity started in 1894. Since that year, a few key amendments were implemented in the years 1939, 1957, 1966, and 1975, which legalized pari-mutuel betting on horse racing, charitable bingo, the State Lottery for Education and charitable gaming respectively.
The first Indian casinos in NY emerged after the passage of the 1993 constitutional amendment, authorized the creation of casinos on native land. 2011 experienced a step backwards when US Federal law banned all online gambling. In 2013 the state finally permitted commercial casinos, however, there are not many in NY. The biggest change in recent year to the gambling laws of New York, is the legalization of sports betting. The state is currently rolling out its first legal sports betting infrastructure.
In terms of laws that are going to affect the individual gambler. The legal gambling age in New York is 18+ years of age. However, many gambling locations have limited their customers to 21+ so that they can legally serve alcohol on the game room floor without having to worry too much. The New York State gambling winnings tax lies somewhere around 3% depending on the amount won.
Gambling Responsibly in New York
Although many New Yorkers have a healthy relationship to gambling, there are some players that may struggle with addiction. The Empire State has a few options for those who seek help. The body in charge of overseeing responsible gaming is the NY Council on Problem Gambling. The NYCPG has worked since the 70s to provide people with the help they need.
The Board’s website offers numerous resources including a gambling hotline. NY is an extremely diverse state, so the help found on the NYCPG website is available in nine different languages. Another suitable option for problem gamblers is Gamblers Anonymous. If you visit the website, you can find local help based on your specific area.For player’s who would like to quit betting, rather than foster a healthier relationship to the activity, the best option is probably voluntary self-exclusion. If you visit the New York State Gaming Commission website, you’ll find steps on how to exclude yourself from casinos, racetracks, the lottery and fantasy sports in NY State.
History of Gambling in New York State
Gambling in New York goes right back to the 1600s. Laws governing betting go back just about as far, with the first legislation concerning gambling in what is today New York State passed in 1656. This was merely to forbid betting on the Sabbath, in order to further religiosity in the territory of New Netherland. However, this only covered certain games, and was only regarding “church hours”, displaying the area’s relatively relaxed attitudes at the time.
From this early start, there have been dozens of pieces of law passed by the various governing authorities in the area. However, most have been to restrict certain practices, with no individual New York gambling statute or law outright forbidding gambling in general.
New York’s Constitution, ratified in 1894, restricted gambling rights heavily. However, since then there have been four important exceptions, allowing for betting within the State: pari-mutuel betting on horse racing, religious, charitable and non-profit bingo, State lottery, and finally an extension to the allowance for religious and non-profit gambling to include games of chance.
Famous Gamblers from the Empire State
When people think about famous gamblers, they are not thinking about a guy who won big spinning the reels, or a successful sport better, they are thinking about poker players. During the first decade of the 21st Century, the world went nuts for poker. New broadcasting deals transformed the card game into one of the most popular spectator games on television. During the ‘poker boom’ a few stars emerged. Enthusiasts were drawn to the personalities and play styles of the world’s best card sharks. Below is some info about some of the most famous gamblers from New York
Erik Seidel
Erik Seidel is, without a doubt, the most celebrated poker player from the Empire State. For most players, winning a WSOP bracelet is a career accomplishment. Seidel, however, has won 8 throughout his career and has reached the final table a staggering 35 times. Erik’s first major bicvtory came in 1988 when he was the runner-up at the WSOP Main Event. Seidel sits atop the NY all time money list and 3rd in the global money list having earned himself over $35 million playing professionally. Currently, Seidel lives in Las Vegas.
Bryn Kenney
Bryn Kenney
Coming in at number two on the New York all-time money list is Bryn Kenney. Keeney has also eclipsed the $30mil mark throughout his career and is nearly 30 years Seidel’s junior. Kenney flaunts his New York roots proudly and can often be seen donning a Yankees or Knicks cap when on tour. Kenney has earned one gold bracelet in his career, which really puts Seidel’s accomplishments into perspective considering Kenney has earned nearly as much as Seidel, but not nearly as many bracelets. Kenney won the bracelet in 2014 after winning the $1,500 Mix Six-Handed event.
Key State Facts
As one of America’s most diverse and forward-thinking states, New York is one of the most desirable places to live in the world. At the center of all of this is of course, New York City, a thriving metropolis known as the ‘city that never sleeps’ packed with towering skyscrapers, busy streets and bullish New Yorkers. Below you can see some of the key New York state facts.
| Population | 19,542,432 |
|---|---|
| Min. Income/month | $1,926.44 |
| Largest Land-based Casino | Resorts World Casino |
| Gambling Commissioner | NYS Gaming Commission |
| Spoken Languages | English 67.9%, Spanish 15.5%, Chinese 3.3% |
| Famous Sports Teams | New York Yankees, New York Giants, New York Knicks |
| New York Tax Authority | Department of Taxation and Finance |
| Link to the State Law | http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/lawssrch.cgi?NVLWO: |
| Gambling Winning Tax | Up to 3% (depending on winnings amount) |
| State Website Link | https://www.ny.gov/ |
| New York Gamblers | Stu Ungar |
New York is famous worldwide for many things; hip hop music, street food and the nightlife. But some of the most popular things about NYC are its sports teams. Visit any country in the world and you’ll find a New York Yankees cap. New Yorkers are fanatical about their sports teams and the games they play.
Conclusion: Future Outlook of New York Gambling
As you can see above, New York doesn’t have the most restrictive of gambling laws, but the state is also far from being one of the most liberal gambling territories in the US. Players have a few legal gambling options in New York including Indian casinos, racinos, the Lottery, horse race betting and on-site sports betting. Only time will tell whether or not online gambling is in the cards for NY, but if trends continue, we are likely to see some liberalization of the New York state online gambling laws. Until this happens however, you won’t find any online gambling in New York.
Frequently Asked Questions
The New York gambling laws seem to change week to week and the courts are experiencing a logjam when it comes to making decisions about gambling. This has led to a lot of confusion, and may players have asked us for some clarification. Below are the most common questions we receive with regards to New York gambling.
Does New York have casinos?
There are currently 25 casinos registered in the state of New York. Native American casinos make up the vast majority but there are also some dedicated commercial spaces in the city with gambling licences.
Can you gamble online in NY?
Gambling online is currently not yet legal in the state of New York. There are currently no licensed online casinos in the state, and it is a federal crime for a NY citizen to register and play at a site based outside of the state
Is sports gambling legal in New York?
Sports betting was made legal in May 2018 in the state of New York. However, the state has yet to see its first official sports bet be made. The regulation and monitoring of the industry is still being decided on a federal level which has delayed the issuing of licences.
New York is one of 20 states where sports betting is legal in the United States.
History Behind Legalized Sports Betting in New York State
Tribal casinos have always played a big role in New York betting. For years, there were no commercial casinos in New York, but this all changed in 2013.
That year, New York permitted the construction of four commercial casinos in the upstate region of the state. This law, passed by the New York legislator, included the legalization of sports betting at all commercial casinos. Tribal casinos were also permitted to offer sports betting with the passing of this law.
Even though the New York legislature passed this law, the fate of New York sports betting depended on federal legalization in the United States. The belief was that the US would legalize sports betting, but when construction started on commercial casinos, it was still illegal throughout most of the country.
In 2018, New York officially allowed sports betting in its state when the Supreme Court legalized sports betting throughout the country. In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was unconstitutional.
This act was originally passed in 1992 and served as a prohibition on state-sponsored sports betting. Once it was deemed unconstitutional, sports betting was off and running in New York state.
The New York State Gaming Commission finished writing its preliminary rules for sports betting on Jan. 28, 2018, and in June, the regulations were formally approved.
New York sports betting is only available in a brick-and-mortar capacity. There are no online legal options for residents at this time.
Governor Andrew Cuomo has done his best to keep mobile gambling out of the state. Despite this, FanDuel and DraftKings, who run popular legal apps, have established brick-and-mortar sportsbooks in the state. Eleven casinos in the state offer sports betting to players.
Financial History Behind Legal Sports Betting in New York State
New York casinos that established sports betting thought that it would lead to massive revenue for their businesses. When casinos had to begin the application process for sports betting, they had to give the state an estimated revenue figure. Most sportsbooks were off by nearly 50% of their estimated revenue from sports betting.
Casinos believed that the introduction of sports betting would lead to massive increases in their profits. They thought players would be very excited about legal sports betting in the state. Revenue is rising every year for New York sports betting, but it is not as high as states that offer mobile betting options to residents.
In September of 2020, New York generated $1.4 million in revenue from sports betting. The numbers fluctuate drastically from month to month in New York.
In February of 2020, New York posted a negative revenue for online sports betting of $180,000. The most money New York generated since the summer of 2019 came in September where the state made $2.28 million from land-locked sports betting.
Some casinos do better than others. This is no surprise, but these figures are based on the 10% of taxes that the state takes in sports betting revenue from the casinos that offer the feature to their players.
New York isn’t generating as much revenue as it could if it legalized mobile sports gambling. New Jersey and Pennsylvania are taking revenue from the state of New York because residents are going across the border to place bets. Due to the location of many New York casinos, it’s difficult for some players to access land-locked gambling.
Proponents of online sports betting feel confident that it will be legalized in the near future, but only time will tell. If it becomes legal, New York will see a massive spike in its revenue from sports betting.
Sportsbook Apps in New York State
When it comes to sportsbook apps, New York does not make the cut. Online gambling is not available in New York.
New York residents can still download legal gambling apps in their state. They can look at lines and odds to wager, but they can’t lock in a bet unless they are in a land-locked location.
This hasn’t stopped New York residents from placing sports bets from their mobile devices. New York borders New Jersey and Pennsylvania, so many players have crossed the border to go use popular legal apps in those states.
Some of the sportsbook apps that are available for people to wager on in New Jersey and Pennsylvania are FanDuel, DraftKings, William Hill, PointsBet, FOX Bet, and BetMGM. Mobile sports betting is much easier and more efficient than locking in wagers in person.
New York is expected to legalize online gambling in the future. Many members of the New York legislature are pushing hard to legalize sportsbook apps in their state.
The state would benefit drastically from this, so it’s very surprising that people are against it, including Governor Cuomo. New York is operating at a $6 billion deficit, and Governor Cuomo still cut online gambling from the 2021 budget.
New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo has been the biggest proponent to introduce online gambling to residents of the state. He has projected that New York is missing out on $1 billion per year in online gambling revenue.
Addabbo has stated that he will not stop pushing for online sports gambling in the state. He believes that New York would not have to make extreme cuts to important areas like healthcare and education if it adopted online sports betting.
People in the media and proponents of online sports betting have projected that it could be up to three years before it’s legalized in the state.
New York Sports Gambling Locations
Land-Locked Locations to Bet on Sports in New York State
Land-locked locations are the only place where people in New York can legally bet on sports. Sports betting is legal at four commercial casinos and seven tribal casinos in New York. Three other casinos have applied for permits, which are scheduled to be granted in 2023 by the state.
Here’s a list of the current locations where sports betting is offered.
- Rivers Casino Schenectady – Rivers Sportsbook operated by Rush Street/Kambi
- Tioga Downs – FanDuel at Tioga Downs operated by FanDuel
- Del Lago Casino – DraftKings at del Lago operated by DraftKings
- Resorts World Catskills – Sportsbook 360 operated by Genting
- Point Place Casino – The Lounge with Caesars Sports operated by Caesars Entertainment
- Turning Stone Casino – The Lounge with Caesars Sports operated by Caesars Entertainment
- Yellow Brick Road Casino – The Lounge with Caesars Sports operated by Caesars Entertainment
- Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino – Sports Lounge operated by Kambi
- Seneca Allegany Casino – Sports Lounge operated by Kambi
- Seneca Niagara Casino – Sports Lounge operated by Kambi
- Akwesasne Mohawk Casino – Sticks Sports Book operated by The Stars Group
These sportsbooks are primarily located in upstate New York, which makes accessibility an issue for many residents in the highly populated metro area. If people have an urge to bet and are in the area of one of these casinos, it’s definitely worth the trip.
Many provide an epic experience for sports bettors to lock in wagers and enjoy the game all in one place. In the tribal category, no casino does it better than Rivers Sportsbook at Rivers Casino in Schenectady.
This was the state’s first sportsbook that was put into place, and it is still a frontrunner for the best gaming experience. It has a 53-inch LED video wall that features 22 screens to watch mainstream and non-mainstream sporting contests. It also has 14 betting kiosks and six windows if you’d rather place a face-to-face bet with a teller.
DraftKings at del Lago in the del Lago Casino is a resident and visitor favorite throughout the state for commercial casinos. This sportsbook includes 23 betting kiosks, which are accessible 24/7.
It also has four windows with tellers. It has a massive board showing real-time odds, which makes live betting easy, and over 1,000 square feet of LED video screens.
Sports Teams to Bet on in New York
New York is the third-ranked state in America when it comes to professional sports teams. There are eight franchises in the state across the four major sports leagues. If you include the Giants and Jets, which have New York in their names but play their home games in New Jersey, there are 10 total teams.
NFL
The professional football teams with the state in their name are the New York Giants and New York Jets. Despite this, both teams play in East Rutherford, NJ, at MetLife Stadium.
The Giants have been more successful than the Jets, but each team has at least one Super Bowl victory in their franchise history. The Jets won Super Bowl III back in 1968. The Giants have won four titles in the Super Bowl era, with their last two coming in 2007 and 2011.
The Buffalo Bills are the only native franchise to New York state. The Bills have a rich history but haven’t been very successful in the 21st century until they drafted Josh Allen. This was perfect timing with the introduction of sports betting in the state in 2018.
MLB
The New York Yankees and New York Mets are the two MLB teams in the state. The Yankees have a rich history with 27 world championships, but they haven’t been able to finish in the postseason since sports betting became available in New York.
The Mets have been more inconsistent than the Yankees but were the last New York team to play in the World Series. They won the National League pennant in 2015 but were defeated by the Kansas City Royals in the World Series.
NBA
The Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks are New York’s two NBA franchises. The two teams play in different boroughs, but they both call New York City home. The Knicks are currently the more popular team amongst New Yorkers, but both teams provide bettors with successful wagering opportunities.
NHL
More New York Sports Gambling Locations Images
Three NHL teams are native to New York: The Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders and New York Rangers. Hockey is an 82-game season, so with three teams in New York, bettors will be able to wager a New York team almost every night from October to March.
FAQ for Betting in New York State
Here’s everything you need to know about betting in New York.
Is sports betting legal in New York?
Yes, sports betting is legal in New York. It was legalized in 2013 and fully passed in 2018 after the Supreme Court ruled that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was unconstitutional. Despite this, sports betting is only legalized in land-locked locations at 11 casinos in the state.
Are mobile sports betting apps available in New York?
If you’re a resident of New York, you’re able to download popular sportsbook apps like DraftKings, FanDuel, and William Hill. Unfortunately, you’re unable to place a mobile bet in New York.
This part of sports betting hasn’t been passed by the state. It’s unknown when mobile betting will become legalized, but mobile betting is available in New York border states, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
What is the legal age requirement to bet in New York?
In order to bet at a New York sportsbook, you must be 21 years of age.
When is mobile sports betting supposed to become legalized in New York?
New York Sports Gambling Locations Near Me
The legislators who support mobile gambling hope to implement it within the state by 2023, but Governor Andrew Cuomo is against the idea of mobile gambling in the state.
What sports can I bet on at land-locked sportsbooks?
This varies depending on the sportsbook, but all mainstream sports are offered as well as many overseas sports like Euro Basketball, etc. DraftKings and FanDuel offer the same betting options to players at their brick-and-mortar shops as they do on their mobile app unless it involves New York college teams. This is why it’s smart to download the app even if you’re unable to bet on it in New York.
Can I only bet on professional sports?
No, you can bet on college sports as well. There is one exception. At a New York sportsbook, you’re unable to place a bet on any New York colleges that are competing or any collegiate sporting event taking place in the state.