gambling, particularly among individuals under the age of 30.
“Billions of New Yorker’s dollars are being wagered on sports in the black-market. By enabling the mobile sports wagering component, we will be able to capture a majority of this illicit practice while further protecting our consumers,” said Assemblyman Pretlow. “Senator Addabbo, our staff, and I have been working continuously to craft legislation that is considerate of all major stakeholders.”
Tthe bill, however, was not put on the floor of the house before the end of this year’s regulatory session, which ended in June, as assembly Speaker Carl Heastie is opposed to the issue and Governor Cuomo would not have signed it on the grounds that the inclusion of mobile may also require a constitutional amendment. Te governor argues that the 2013 law that authorises the four upstate casinos to offer sports betting “doesn’t open the door for sports betting anywhere else but the land-based casinos. If we want to expand it beyond the land-based casinos, including online, you need a constitutional amendment. And that’s a separate conversation.”
Both Pretlow and Addabbo say an amendment
is not necessary as the affiliate model would be constitutional. Addabbo has even gone as far to say that the governor’s office is using the constitutional amendment as an excuse to prevent mobile expansion. Indeed, the governor has stressed his opposition to mobile gambling more than once arguing that revenues from sports betting would not have a huge impact on state coffers.
So what are the chances that the state will legalise mobile betting? In the short term: very slim. In June, the state Gaming Commission said it would commission a study examining every aspect of gambling in New York. However, the commission told consultants in September that it would not award a contract based on the proposals it received.
Te state Commission issued a new request for proposals, with the planned study not due for completion until June 1, 2020. Te next six- month legislative session starts in January, meaning that lawmakers would have a very
short amount of time in order to analyse the new study and then reach a decision.
Governor Cuomo has already stated that the market study will play a pivotal role in how gaming is regulated in the state. In July, he said: “You look at the numbers and the data on gaming, obviously more people lose in gambling than win, and if there's not a significant economic benefit to the state or a region of the state, than I would rather not do it, and that's what the research has to show.”
Tis means that mobile sports betting in the state could be a long time coming. Addabbo and Pretlow would like to see laws enacted next year without the need for a referendum, yet the timing of the new report comes close to the end of next year’s legislative session. In addition, the New York state Legislature could adjourn early in order to give members time to campaign before primary elections in June. Meanwhile, both potential sports betting customers and the state will continue to lose out.
NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA P39
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