New York Online Casino Bill Still a Long Shot

By John Isaac,
Editor at online-gambling.com

John Isaac Editor at online-gambling.com

John Isaac is an editor with many years of experience in the gambling industry. He writes expert articles on card games like blackjack and poker. In addition, he is also well aware of the US gambling laws and the Indian and Dutch gambling markets. You can rely on verified information and insightful details.

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Last updated: January 27, 2025

New York Senator Joseph Addabbo is trying to legalize online casinos in the state after this same bill fell through in 2024. A big obstacle in last year’s efforts was opposition to iGaming from the unions representing workers at land-based casinos in New York. Unless anything changes, that could be the same challenge this year.

Concerns from Casino Workers

Workers at land-based casinos in New York have expressed concern that legalizing online casinos would cannibalize revenue from the casinos they are currently employed at and this, resulting in them losing their jobs.

Addabbo has said that he is willing to make concessions in the legislation to address the concerns, but it isn’t clear whether the unions agree to compromise. Even if they do, other issues still stand in the way of the bill being passed.

Addabbo Files His Version of a Bill

For a third year running, Addabbo has filed his version of a bill to expand New York’s framework for regulated online gambling to include online casinos and online lottery. This year the filing number is S2614 if you want to read it yourself.

At the moment, the bill is waiting for action from the New York Senate Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee, with Addabbo being the chair of that committee. In 2024, Addabbo hoped the bill would be included in the state’s budget, but later in the season, he faced opposition from the casino workers union.

Unions Concerned about Cannibalism

In April 2024, Addabbo was keen to work with The Hotel Trades Council, part of the AFL-CIO that represents hospitality workers, to find a version of iGaming that the union would agree with.

In S2614, Addabbo has allowed for a funding measure to provide as much as $40 million for casino workers. However, Bhav Tibrewal said, “no matter how much state revenue iGaming creates, if it comes at the cost of hurting the prospects for jobs at casinos, in our mind it’s a no-brainer that it’s the wrong thing to do.”

Downstate Casinos are Complicating Online Casino Legislation

Gaming regulators and public officials in New York are deciding on sites for three brick-and-mortar casinos in the southern part of New York. In the long run, those casinos could boost HTC’s membership and increase concerns about cannibalization.

Identifying these sites and selecting licenses has taken priority over online casino expansion. Regulators have given themselves until the end of 2025 to make these decisions, which could halt the progress on S2614 this year.