The Empire State, which has one of the toughest taxes on gambling and betting, can further benefit from expanding its industry, the senator believes. Sen. Addabbo proposes that online sportsbooks be allowed to accept wagers on fixed-odds horse racing.
Addabbo Outlines Additional Betting Options for NY
Another proposal is the installation of self-serving kiosks at prominent sports venues, such as stadiums and arenas. This should give the state a further boost down the road and help it leverage more revenue from sports betting.
Sen. Addabbo has been an outspoken supporter of gambling liberalization, pushing online sports betting in particular for years before it finally became a reality in 2021. Now, S 2343, the senator’s bill, wants to see more done for the state, as he seeks to raise more funds through the taxation of sports and by boosting interest and accessibility to these options for state residents, visitors, and sports fans.
The bill outlines which locations can be part of a so-called affiliate agreement where the self-service kiosks can be installed, with automobile racing facilities, thoroughbred racing corporations, licensed tracks, off-track betting facilities, and so on.
Addabbo is willing to pass changes that help improve the product for people and make it better known to players. According to him, money is still outflowing New Jersey where some punters may prefer to go and bet.
A Friend of Gambling as State Still Finds Its Ways
Sen. Addabbo has been the most outspoken proponent of legalizing and liberalizing gambling in the State of New York. He has been pushing legal reforms for years, to no avail, and found trusted allies in many fellow lawmakers, but the rarely sufficient majority to back a transformative change.
His greatest success though was the passing of legislation that enabled New York to introduce sports gambling. Sen. Addabbo advocated passionately for a model of running gambling in New York that defied the originally proposed model of state monopoly by former governor Andrew Cuomo.
He has recently spoken of the newly-planned casinos in New York and what they can bring to the Empire State in terms of economic potential once they arrive. Sen. Addabbo has also advocated passionately for the introduction of online casinos and online poker, arguing that the Empire State continues to lose solid tax dollars to offshore and illegitimate operators in the absence of regulated markets.