The legal situation for online gambling in the Empire State
Trying to make sense of the complex laws surrounding online gambling in the US definitely isn’t easy! Gambling has been welcomed in some states for decades, while being illegal in others, but it’s a constantly evolving situation. Gambling, whether in person at a bricks-and-mortar premises or conducted online, certainly isn’t illegal on a federal level. But every state is allowed to decide for itself whether or not to permit the activity, and their attitude to betting online varies widely.
The laws are particularly complex as they can be interpreted in different ways. For example, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act made it a criminal offense for a wagering business to accept payments that it knew came from any unlawful online gambling activities. Meanwhile, the 1961 Wire Act was originally created to prevent any gambling across state lines, but has been widely used to prevent online gambling operations within some states.
Is sports betting legal in NY?
The Empire State has traditionally taken a fairly relaxed stance about gambling in general, and is now opening up to mobile sports betting sites for the first time. So whether you’d like to know the Giants odds today, or the New York Knicks odds today, you can find out at your favorite sportsbook and place a wager without having to leave home! Unfortunately, the situation isn’t quite so easy just yet if you want to play online casino games or try your luck at a few hands of online poker, but the future’s certainly looking brighter!
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It’s good news for sports betting fans in New York!
Are you asking ‘where can I bet on NFL games legally NY? Or is sports betting legal in NY? It sure is, but it’s a very new development in the state’s checkered gambling history. As we’ve already seen, states have been free to decide for themselves whether to allow online gambling, but there’s a pesky piece of legislation that’s long been hampering the activities of online sportsbooks across pretty much all of the US.
That piece of legislation is PASPA, also known as the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which dates all the way back to 1992. Although it didn’t outright make sports betting illegal, it did stop states from opening up to sports gambling if they didn’t already permit it. Needless to say, states across the US have been fiercely debating the Act ever since, but it was only as recently as 2018 that it was finally overturned by the Supreme Court.
New York Legal Betting Guides
New York Legal Sportsbook Guides
Online sports betting goes live in the Empire State
It’s certainly been a long time coming, but during fall of 2021 the state of New York finally announced that online sports betting was to be legalized. But before sports betting fans could start NBA betting in NY, there were still a few legal hoops to jump through. Only a handful of mobile sports sites have been sanctioned to open at first, and each one has to be associated with a bricks-and-mortar casino located within the state of New York.
From around mid-January 2022 the first mobile betting sites started signing up new members from within the Empire State, with an abundance of promotional offers to kick things off. So now you can finally legally sign up to a sportsbook site and start making wagers on all your favorite sporting events. That’s great news for experienced bettors, but you don’t need to worry if you’re new to the world of sports betting. We’ve got all the information you need on how to place a bet online NY sports betting newbies, so this is a great place to get started!
We offer all the help and advice you could need
We want all our site visitors to benefit from the very best and most comprehensive sportsbook reviews NY state residents could expect – and we certainly don’t skimp on the details! We undertake thorough checks on everything from the variety of sports on offer to the deposit and withdrawal options. We make sure that licenses are valid and issued by a reputable governing body, and we dig deep into each operator’s security protocols too – after all, they’ll be holding onto your personal data, so we expect them to keep it safe from hackers!
And of course, we’ll be regularly updating our information to include all the best new sportsbooks in NY as soon as they go live across the state. So be sure to bookmark this page and keep checking back to find out what’s new in the world of online sports betting in the Empire State.
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Limited options for online casino gaming right now in New York
Although we can direct you straight to the top NFL betting sites in New York State without any trouble, it’s not quite so easy when it comes to online casino gambling in the Empire State. Of course, if you’d like the full live casino experience you certainly have plenty of options open to you, although you might have to make a bit of a journey if you don’t live close to one of the big Casinos.
Sadly, when it comes to playing online slots and table games, for the moment your options are pretty limited. We’ll explain a bit later about social casinos, but you could also take a trip across the border to New Jersey, where as long as you’re within state lines you’re legally allowed to play games online for real money.
Here at BallIsLife, we think that with online NFL betting legal in NY then it won’t be long before online casinos join the party. Keep checking back to these pages and we’ll be sure to let you know when they do!
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Here’s what you need to know about online poker in New York
Poker players have plenty of choice when it comes to playing land-based games, with a great selection of bricks-and-mortar casinos offering variants of the game. Unfortunately, that’s not the case when it comes to online poker, which is currently illegal in the Empire State.
Now that online sports betting has been legalized, it’s certainly paved the way for other forms of online gambling to follow suit. And you can rest assured that we at BallIsLife won’t hesitate to bring you all the latest updates just as soon as we hear of any changes in legislation!
The jury’s out on fantasy sports in New York
OK, it’s not strictly a jury, but the High Court is currently studying the subject of fantasy sports, with a ruling expected any time now. And we’re all holding our breath at BallIsLife, particularly those of us who derive a great deal of pleasure from this activity.
Fantasy sports was legalized in the Empire State back in 2016, as the state regulators decided that it wasn’t a form of gambling, as defined under Penal Law 225. Justice Eugene Fahey has been particularly vocal about his disapproval of fantasy sports, comparing the game with poker, which currently remains illegal to play online.
As things stand right now, although we can confidently tell you how to access the most favorable Yankees odds today, we can’t unfortunately predict which way the dice will fall for fantasy sports in New York. We suggest you keep checking back and we’ll update our information just as soon as we have any further news.
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Discover the top social casinos in New York
We promised we’d discuss social casinos in a little more detail, and never let it be said that we go back on our work at BallIsLife! So we’re happy to explain that social casinos offer most of the games you’d expect to find at an online casino – but you won’t be playing with real dollars.
Social casinos are a natural progression from social media sites, allowing you to chat and make friends while enjoying playing a huge selection of entertaining games. And although you won’t be playing with real money, there’s often the opportunity to win cash prizes. Social casinos usually offer Sweeps Coins that can be earned from playing games, interacting with the site and recommending friends to sign up. Social casinos are fun and entertaining, and we’ve got all the details you could possibly need to get started!
Other betting options available to you in New York
As well as several land-based casinos, New York also plays host to a number of racinos. These are racetracks that also offer up slots games and Video Lottery Terminals. Pari-mutuel betting on horse races is legal in the Empire State, and anyone over the age of 18 can take part in the state lottery – although players will need to be aged 21 or over if purchasing tickets from premises that sell alcohol.
New York seems to have become the spiritual home of esports, with The Barclays Center in New York City playing host to the annual ESL One New York tournament. Esports aren’t exactly legal, but they are regulated, so it’s not difficult to find somewhere to indulge your passion.
Bingo is extremely popular across the entire state, although once again, this is a pastime that you can only engage in at land-based premises. Right now there’s no legal provision to allow online bingo games, but watch this space! You can trust us here at BallIsLife to keep updating our information, so we can bring you the details about online gambling that you really want to know!
Editor’s recommendation for the best sportsbook in New York
Take a look at our list of licensed and regulated sportsbooks in the Empire State and check out our informative reviews to find your perfect operator. It’s very much down to individual preferences which one you decide to sign up to. After all, you’ll be looking for an option that offers you the chance to bet on the sporting events you enjoy the most, whether that’s legal online Super Bowl betting or you want to know the New York Rangers odds today.
But if we had to recommend just one single sportsbook to our readers, it would be BetMGM - and there are very good reasons why we single out this particular operator. After all, it’s a well-respected brand backed by the mighty MGM Group, and is one of the top choices for bettors around the world. There’s a fantastic range of sports to wager on, odds to suit just about every bettor and a great choice of deposit and withdrawal methods. There’s excellent customer support available too, so you always know where to turn for help when it’s needed.
Best of all, BetMGM automatically enrolls all new signups onto its exciting M Life Rewards program. You’ll be earning points from wagering across the site, so you can earn yourself some bonus bets to extend the power of your bankroll. Or, if you prefer, you can save up your points and put them towards discounted holidays, dining and entertainment at the land-based BetMGM Resort of your choice.
What does the future hold for betting and gaming in New York?
This is a great time for gambling fans in New York, who can now legally place sports bets from home or when out and about, with no need to visit a retail sportsbook site. So if you’d like to try your luck with some NHL betting today, we can help you with that straight away! And when it comes to online horse betting NY residents have plenty of options too, so the future is definitely looking bright for bettors in the Empire State.
We’ll be updating our information regularly to take into account news of upcoming changes to the gambling laws. We think it can only be a matter of time before online casinos and online poker rooms join the party – and when that happens, we’ll be ready and waiting to tell you all about it!
Conclusion – the future’s bright for New York sports bettors
When it comes to deciding where to bet on sports NY gambling experts are ready and waiting to help you narrow down your options. We can direct you to the top MLB betting sites in NYC. Or how about discovering which at the best Super Bowl betting sites New York has to offer? Whatever your sporting passions, we’re right here to guide you towards reputable and legitimate sports betting operators.
And remember – we’re here for every type of sports bettor, whether you’ve been wagering for years or you’re considering dipping your toes into gambling waters for the very first time. We’ve got absolutely everything you need to get started, so take a look around our site. Whether it’s a matter of picking the best sportsbook for you, or you’d like to know how to place a bet online BallIsLife is here to help!
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Is sports betting legal in New York? FAQ
☝ Is sports betting legal in NY state?
There have been some recent changes to the laws surrounding online sports betting in the Empire State, and we’ve got the complete lowdown. Come and read what our sports betting experts have to say, and discover what your options are for placing sporting wagers in NY. We’ve got everything you need to know, so come and take a look!
❓Where can I bet on NFL games legally in New York?
New York is one of the latest states to overhaul its online gambling laws, and we’ve got everything you need to know. There’s a good reason why we’re called BallIsLife, and we can’t wait to show you what your sports betting options are within the Empire State. We’ve got the latest news, the most comprehensive operator reviews and much, much more – come and see!
⛹ What sports can I wager on in the state of New York?
Whatever your question about sports betting in New York, we’ve got the answers! Can you bet on college sports in New York? Is horse racing betting legal in the Empire State? How do you go about placing a sporting bet? We’ve got everything you could possibly need to know, right here at BallIsLife. If you’d like to place a sporting bet in the Empire State, you definitely need to come and read this first!
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