Speculations about legalizing online betting and poker in New York have been running rampant, and Senator Addabbo’s reelection is bringing more life into the conversation.
Supportive Immediately After Reelection
Senator Addabbo was recently reelected and it took only a day for him to reaffirm his support for bringing online casinos and poker to New York. He’s been a long-time advocate to expand New York’s gambling scene, and in a recent talk with NY Sports Day, he shared that he wants to bring legislators’ attention to the conversation of legalizing online gambling and poker in New York in 2023.
Addabbo is widely known for criticizing the lack of legalized online casinos and poker in New York. His notion to legalize it is that this would actually prove safer for New York gamblers. If the gambling scene in New York is expanded, it will give more options for the state to help gamblers who are suffering from problem gambling or are affected by it in any other way.
New Yorkers are already gaming – he says – be it illegally or in other states. This results not only in fewer options for the state to help them if they need it, but also leads to missed tax revenue and money flowing outside the state. In essence, according to Senator Addabbo, it’s basically a win-win for all sides involved, and his latest talk with NY Sports Day underlined all of this.
The New York State Budget for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2022-23 was passed on April 9, 2022. Addabbo’s plans could bear fruit as soon as January if his bills make it to the next executive budget proposal. So, if that fails, his opportunity to try again would be a few months after that, in April.
His Gambling Advocacy Goes Way Back
Senator Addabbo has been very vocal and steadfast in his support for New York’s gambling scene for years now. He’s been a supporter of poker in New York at least for the last few years, and he’s even been behind bills that describe poker as an interactive game of skill, and not a game of luck. The latter would classify it as an activity to be regulated by gambling laws, which is where bills usually get stuck.
Addabbo’s support for mobile wagers in New York has also been shown repeatedly. Ever since sports betting launched in New York, he’s also been unwavering in his stance. As recently as this February he tried again to pass bill that would see online betting in New York legalized, and his efforts have always seemed to be right on the cusp of succeeding. Senator Addabbo’s support is not his own initiation, however – he actually continues a well-established tradition that goes back to his father – Congressman Joseph P. Addabbo, Sr.
His vision is to reduce the incredibly high 51% tax rate on sportsbooks that are currently imposed, and bring more operators to the state. That is accompanied by his plans to also bring online gambling and poker to New York, of course. However, he’s also repeatedly stressed how important the act of legalization itself is, as this is the only way New Yorkers could sustainably benefit from the industry as well.