New York Casinos & Gambling Laws
Lila Thorn | April 7, 2020 | Updated on: September 4th, 2020
After Nevada, New York is one of the most profitable gambling industries in the United States. In the state, the lottery sales alone make $9 billion every year. So, legal New York casinos and gambling operations are set to expand.When New York voters approved a large gambling expansion in November of 2013, the state began the process of setting up licenses. These would only be processed in 2015. Currently, seven more casinos are getting ready to open.
In a state with 14 casinos, six poker rooms, and 5 tribal casinos, this might get overcrowded. However, we’re not here to judge, just give residents all of the relevant information such as:
- Existing gambling laws.
- New or amended laws.
- Where to find the best casinos.
NY Online Casinos
New York Casinos & Gambling Stats
- Regulated gambling by year:
- Racing (1959)
- Lottery (1966)
- Off-track betting (1970)
- Tribal casinos (1993)
- Racinos (2001)
- Commercial casinos (2013)
- Estimated tax revenue from gambling – $4.2 billion
- Estimated gambling revenue – $10.8 billion
- New York Gambling Age – 18 for lottery and racing, 18-21 for casinos. No minimum age for charity gaming.
- Smoking ban – New York bans smoking in all indoor businesses. Except in tribal casinos.
- New York online gambling – Horse racing is the only form of legalized online gambling.
All New York Gambling Laws
Since its start, the New York constitution has only allowed gambling that voters approve. Other than that, the law states that other games of chance are illegal.
Gambling crimes are considered a misdemeanor in the state. While promoting gambling is a Class E felony that will be charged by the Attorney General.
Types of Legal New York Online Gambling
For the moment, only off-track betting is approved by voters. So, sportsbooks like TVG, BetAmerica, TwinSpires, and XpressBet are allowed to take these bets.
In addition, there are restrictions on track betting within New York to encourage attendance at the racetracks.
Then, in 2015, daily fantasy sports were declared illegal by the Attorney General. Both FanDuel and DraftKings were ordered out of the state, but the courts permitted them to stay. So, for now, they’re legally allowed to operate.
Still, there are no licensed online casinos, poker rooms, or sports betting sites. It’s a widely held belief in NY that they are illegal.
Types of Live New York Gambling
The New York Lottery is the most profitable live betting option in the United States and makes roughly $9 billion a year on scratchers and lottery ticket sales.
Statewide lottery games include:
- Take 5
- Win 4
- Pick 10
- Mega Millions
- Powerball
Closely following lottery sales, the four licensed racetracks offer live racing. They also offer off-track betting, slots, video poker, and table game machines.
Five other shuttered tracks also provide New York Racinos.
Meanwhile, the five tribal casinos offer more games than racetracks like blackjack, roulette, poker, and craps tables. As well as slots, video poker, digital table game machines.
Finally, charity gambling is also allowed and can offer raffles, bingo, and pull-tab games.
List of New York Casinos
Here’s our list of the casinos, Racinos, and other gambling venues currently operating in New York:
| Casino | City | Type | Comments |
| Jake’s 58 Hotel & Casino | Islandia | Commercial | |
| Resorts World Catskills | Kiamesha Lake | Commercial | |
| Tioga Downs & Casino | Nichols | Commercial | All table games are allowed. |
| Rivers Casino & Resort | Schenectady | Commercial | All table games are allowed. |
| Del Lago Resort and Casino | Tyre | Commercial | All table games are allowed. |
| Mohawk Bingo Palace and Casino | Akwesasne | Native American | |
| Point Place Casino | Bridgeport | Native American | |
| Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino | Buffalo | Native American | |
| Yellow Brick Road Casino | Chittenango | Native American | |
| Seneca Gaming & Entertainment Oil Spring | Cuba | Native American | |
| Akwesasne Mohawk Casino | Hogansburg | Native American | |
| Seneca Gaming & Entertainment Irving | Irving | Native American | |
| Seneca Niagara Casino | Niagara Falls | Native American | |
| Seneca Allegany Casino | Salamanca | Native American | |
| Seneca Gaming & Entertainment Salamanca | Salamanca | Native American | |
| Lakeside Entertainment | Union Springs | Native American | |
| Turning Stone Resort & Casino | Verona | Native American | |
| Batavia Downs Casino | Batavia | Racino | |
| Finger Lakes Gaming and Race Track | Farmington | Racino | |
| The Fairgrounds Gaming | Hamburg | Racino | |
| Monticello Gaming & Raceway | Monticello | Racino | |
| Resorts World New York City | Ozone Park | Racino | All table games are electronic. |
| Saratoga Casino and Raceway | Saratoga Springs | Racino | |
| Vernon Downs & Casino | Vernon | Racino | |
| Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway | Yonkers | Racino | All table games are electronic. |
History of NY Gambling
Historically, the first-ever gambling operation in New York took root. At the time, the race track opened in Hampstead Plains, now known as Queens. However, racing soon became illegal.
Until 1905, when Belmont Park opened its doors. Still, it didn’t become fully legal until 1959, and horse racing became the first form of legalized gambling.
By 1966, voters decided to allow a state lottery with a 60% margin. In 1967, the first lottery tickets went on sale, and the lottery has raised $35 billion in the meantime.
Following the success of off-track betting, the state government opened 100 betting shops across New York. However, they cannibalized track revenues and were closed down. The last shop closed in 2010.
On April 15th, 2011, the state also carried out the first online gambling bust in the world. So, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District filed indictments against three prolific operators.
Eventually, they managed to shut down Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker. Then ran PokerStars out of the United States, ultimately resulting in $547 million in fines for the US government.
More State Casinos
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New York Casinos & Gambling FAQs
Voters have legalized off-track betting, commercial casinos, Racinos, a state lottery, and tribal casinos.
Most forms of gambling have a minimum gambling age of 18. Provided that alcohol isn’t served on the premises, in which case it’s 21. Conversely, charity gambling has no minimum age.
Only off-track horse race betting is legal in New York right now.
XpressBet, TVG, BetAmerica, and TwinSpires are licensed to take horse race bets.
Racetracks and casinos with gaming licenses can offer electronic table games, slots, and video poker.
Tribal casinos and future commercial casinos can have slot, video poker, and electronic tabletop games. Along with gaming tables offering poker, craps, blackjack, and baccarat.
In New York, Black Friday refers to the day that US Attorney Preet Bharara filed indictments against PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker on April 15th, 2011. Based on charges of illegal payment processing, they shut down Absolute Poker and Full Tilt Poker. But Full Tilt was bailed by PokerStars in a $731 million settlement. Other players were stiffed.
Daily fantasy sports are technically legal, but the state Attorney General published an opinion that they’re illegal. So, the case is currently working through the court system.