New York sports betting got underway in July 2019, with commercial and tribal casinos opening retail sportsbooks to take wagers in person. Lawmakers long struggled to reach a consensus on regulating online sports betting in New York, but they made a breakthrough in April 2021 by including legislation in the state budget. The first New York sports betting sites launched in January 2022 after receiving the final approval of the Gaming Commission. Now, New York is home to nine legal online sportsbooks. Bettors 21 and older can download New York online sports betting apps, register, and bet online from anywhere in state lines.
State of New York Sports Betting Overview
Legal sports betting is available in New York via licensed online sportsbooks.
Anyone living in New York can get started by downloading one of the betting apps recommended on this page to create an account, make a deposit, and begin placing wagers.
For a full two years after the rest of the state legalized retail sports betting, New York residents had to either drive several hours to an upstate casino or cross into New Jersey to place wagers.
New York sportsbooks never materialized due to prior legislation exclusively authorizing sports betting at upstate commercial casinos and tribal properties. The legalization of mobile betting puts legal betting in the hands of every New Yorker 21 or older, significantly increasing convenience for everyone.
State of New York Sports Betting Timeline
Jan. 5, 2023 – The NY sports betting handle hit $2.04 billion in December, slightly lower than the all-time high of $2.1 billion set in November. However, the state set a monthly revenue record of $188.3 million.
Dec. 28, 2023 – Some New York property managers and developers reportedly support building a Caesars Palace casino location in Times Square.
Dec. 20, 2023 – A NY State Police Sergeant was sentenced for his role in an illegal gambling ring.
Dec. 19, 2023 – According to financial company Truist, PENN Entertainment is working to buy a sports betting license for ESPN Bet in New York.
Dec. 13, 2023 – NY sports betting handle broke a record for the second straight month in November with $2.1 billion. November’s total was a 4.5% increase from October.
Dec. 13, 2023 – BetMGM’s CEO is reportedly eager for New York to introduce legislation that would legalize online casinos.
Dec. 11, 2023 – The Belmont Stakes will reportedly be held at Saratoga Race Course in 2024 while Belmont Park undergoes renovation. It will be the first time since 1967 that the race is held in a different location.
2022
The new online market in New York takes off on Jan. 8, with four apps approved to launch. Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetRivers launch at 9 a.m. ET. The other five apps anticipated in the state arrived in spurts over the following weeks with BetMGM and PointsBet the first to join the fast-growing market. By February, Wynn had launched, and sportsbook apps numbered seven.
In its first 16 days, New York online sports betting handle eclipsed $1 billion, quickly becoming the biggest legal betting market in the US. Resorts World Bet and Bally Bet joined the online sports betting market later in the year.
2021
The most promising year to date began with Gov. Andrew Cuomo signaling his willingness to include mobile wagering in his state budget. With New York facing a budget deficit reaching billions of dollars, Cuomo finally embraced the revenue source of legal sports betting in NY.
Cuomo expressed a strong preference for a lottery-based model featuring only a couple of operators, similar to whatever nearby New Hampshire chose to enact. That might not be the best model for customers, however, as high tax rates and a lack of competition fail to incentivize sportsbooks to provide the ideal experience for players.
A deal reached in April 2021 paves the way for mobile betting in New York. The initial bidding process culminated in the state ultimately choosing nine sportsbook operators from two super bids. Four of the apps launched on Jan. 8, just before the NFL Playoffs.
2020
The COVID-19 pandemic quickly ended whatever hope existed for New York sports betting reform in 2020. Legislators again attempted to convince Gov. Andrew Cuomo to include updated sports betting language in his state budget to no avail.
With the state legislative session upended by the pandemic, more pressing matters took priority. New York suffered its worst days of the pandemic in the spring 2020 when the legislature typically is accomplishing its normal business.