New York online poker is once again being considered by lawmakers in the state.
Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach), a leading advocate for regulated real money igaming in the state, introduced SB 2614 on Tuesday, January 21. This marks the third consecutive year he has sought to legalize online poker and casino games in New York.
The bill’s chances of passing this year remain uncertain, but it represents one of many efforts over the past decade by the state to legalize online poker in particular.
SB 2614 is nearly identical to Addabbo’s bill last year (S4856) which would have legalized online poker and casino.
The proposed bill seeks to amend the state’s Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering, and Breeding Law by introducing Article 15, which would legalize igaming and impose a tax rate of 30.5% on a license holder’s gross gaming revenue.
Under the bill, licensed operators would be authorized to offer table games, slot games, peer-to-peer poker, and live dealer games. Live dealer games would need to be conducted in a live gaming studio located in New York.
The legislation proposes a one-time license fee of $2 million for operators. Additionally, independent contractors providing a mobile interactive gaming platform and displaying their brand would be required to pay a one-time fee of $10 million. Each interactive gaming licensee would be limited to offering a single branded skin, consistent with previous proposals.
The bill has been immediately referred to the Senate Committee on Racing, Gaming, and Wagering, a legislative panel that Addabbo chairs.
Multi-State Agreement Missing
The bill does not include provisions granting the state permission to join a multi-jurisdictional compact, such as the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA). This omission is surprising, as Senator Addabbo had included similar language in previous bills that focused exclusively on online poker. Addabbo has also publicly recognized the significance of multi-state online poker compacts in interviews with pokerfuse and Poker Industry PRO.
The absence of such language is especially surprising given that similar bills introduced by other state lawmakers this year include provisions for joining interstate compacts. The exclusion in New York’s igaming bill stands out even more in this context.
That said, if the current bill is passed, multi-state online poker could still become a reality. However, the state would likely need to pass separate legislation to authorize participation in an interstate compact, something which Michigan did following the passage of its online poker legislation.
Sixth State to Introduce iGaming Bill This Month
New York has become the sixth state to introduce an igaming bill this year, joining Maryland, Virginia, Indiana, Wyoming, and Massachusetts. Of these, four include provisions allowing states to enter agreements such as the MSIGA. Virginia’s igaming bill, however, has been delayed for further study, with plans to reintroduce it next year.
It is common to see a surge of online gaming bills introduced at the start of the year as legislative sessions get underway. However, history shows that many of these bills struggle to advance beyond the committee or make it to the governor’s desk for approval.
While the odds of any new bill becoming law remain slim, the start of a new year brings fresh hope that this could finally be the year an igaming bill is successfully enacted.
NY’s Previous Attempts at Legalizing Online Poker & Casino
The Empire State has been attempting to establish a regulated market for online poker and casino since 2013, with nearly a dozen bills introduced over the past decade, most proposing a 15% tax rate for online poker.
Legislative records show that since the 2013-2014 session, 10 bills aimed at legalization have failed to advance. All but one stalled in committee. The exception, S5302, passed the Senate with a decisive 53-5 vote in June 2016 but ultimately shared the same fate as the others. Of these 10, eight were companion bills introduced in both chambers with nearly identical language.
In the past four years, Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow and Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. have been particularly vocal advocates for igaming. Together, they have introduced about half a dozen additional bills, some exclusively focused on online poker and others addressing both online poker and casino.
SB 2614’s chances for passage are unclear. While some lawmakers might back the bill, citing the success of sports betting and the significant tax revenues generated by online gaming in states like Pennsylvania and Michigan, others may prefer to hold off on further expansion to evaluate the long-term performance of the vertical.
Opposition also comes from influential groups, including a prominent hotel and casino workers’ union in New York, which argues that online gaming could negatively impact land-based casinos and their workforce. Additionally, critics raise concerns about the potential for online casinos to worsen addiction and other social issues.
Whether 2025 will finally be the year New York succeeds remains uncertain. Even if a bill is passed, it would likely take at least 18 months before online poker could go live.
With nearly 20 million residents, New York would become the largest US jurisdiction to regulate real money online poker, surpassing Pennsylvania (13 million residents) and Michigan (10 million). Should the market launch, major operators like BetMGM, PokerStars, WSOP, and BetRivers are expected to enter the fray.
