Time Is Ticking Away for New York Proposed Mobile Sports Betting Bill

New York has spent the past few weeks in a limbo in relation to its sports betting future and the features it is going to feature in its final form. This Wednesday was supposed to bring the end of the Legislative session for this year, but an extension of one day was introduced to give state lawmakers enough time to consider the proposed mobile sports betting bill. The chances of it happening this year are getting slimmer by the hour.

A budding field offers its creators the chance of making it the most efficient one and shaping it in a way that would guarantee it is going to live up to the expectations of the crowd participating in it. New York’s sports wagering field has to be appropriate for the local gaming habits, listening to players’ recommendations, and making sure they find it as appealing as possible. At the end of the day, this is what would make it a competitive one when compared to neighboring states such as New Jersey, that have already regulated a well-rounded field.

Gov. Cuomo Reviews Proposed Bill

Mid-June New York State lawmakers voted to give their approval of the proposed bill regulating the sports wagering field. This happened more than a year after the United States Supreme Court overruled the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992. This piece of regulation made betting on sports events illegal across the states.

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Its overruling, however, allowed each and every state to make an informed decision and devise its own set of rules guiding the future sports wagering field. This could include both brick-and-mortar based sportsbooks and online wagering, such as the case with New Jersey. The state is open to the opportunities of online gaming and allows the offering. At the moment, New Yorkers are drawn to its legal sports wagering both in casino venues and online.

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This is what New York lawmakers took into consideration while pondering the proposed bills. Following the approval it received on all levels, August 1 is projected to see first legal bets placed in one of the four commercial or one of the seven tribal casino venues. Such a delay is necessary, as the casino locations have to receive their licensing and to put the finishing touches to their wagering areas.

Sponsors Consider the Bill Dead

Mobile sports wagering was believed to demand more time and an amendment to the State Constitution, a process that would need years. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has the final say on this subject, now that the proposed bill sponsored by Sen. Joseph Addabbo, D-Queens, managed to make it through the Senate. The Assembly was the next step for this regulation, but it appears that this is where it stuck.

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Assembly Racing Committee Chairman Gary Pretlow, D-Mount Vernon, made it clear that a possible approval would make the state much more competitive to neighboring states. Pennsylvania is another state that has also regulated the field featuring mobile sports wagering, as well as brick-and-mortar one. The Legislature was supposed to see its final session day this Wednesday, but since the bill made its way there a day earlier, an extension was introduced.

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For the time being, projections are that no progress would be made, as the pressure is significant. Mr. Pretlow even went so far as to say that the proposed bill is dead. In the meantime, Mr. Addabbo recently expressed his disappointment with the turn of events that would leave New York’s sports betting crippled and inadequately positioned among its rival markets. Both sponsors hope that the next legislative session is going to guarantee better chances of online wagering.