New York Online Casino Bill Unlikely Before June 4 Deadline

New York online casino legalization appears set to wait another year, with Sen. Joseph Addabbo saying the proposal lacks the support needed before the June 4 session deadline.

Good to Know

• New York lawmakers are not expected to vote on online casino gaming before June 4.
• Sen. Joseph Addabbo said Gov. Kathy Hochul remains the main obstacle.
• Addabbo also wants New York to regulate prediction markets instead of banning them.

Addabbo, who chairs the Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee, said an iGaming bill is unlikely to receive either a committee hearing or a floor vote in the Senate or Assembly before lawmakers leave Albany.

The Senate and Assembly could approve the measure, but Addabbo said that would not mean much without support from Hochul:

“We could pass it in the Senate, we could pass it in the Assembly and then the governor would probably not sign it. So I’m not going to waste anyone’s time here.”

A spokesperson for Hochul gave a more limited answer in an email to Gambling.com on Monday, May 11. Gordon Tepper said the governor “will review any legislation that passes” both chambers.

Addabbo Keeps iGaming On The Table

New York still requires full approval from both the Senate and Assembly before any casino gaming, sports betting, or related gambling bill reaches the governor. For now, Addabbo sees no clear path for online casino gaming in 2026.

However, he does not see the question as whether New York will legalize iGaming. He sees it as a timing issue. Addabbo said he plans to keep pressing lawmakers on online casino gaming each year until the state acts.

His comments came during a video interview on Gambling.com program “The Edge,” where he also discussed prediction markets, sports betting taxes, and prop bets.

Prediction markets took a different place in his argument. Addabbo said New York should create rules for the sector rather than try to ban it. In his view, regulation would let the state work with legal operators, collect benefits, and give residents a safer option.

“Every year that goes by that we don’t regulate prediction markets gives me more ammunition and more data and more justification to regulate it in New York,” Addabbo said.

Addabbo also pushed back against a prop bet ban. Nearby states already allow those wagers, he noted, and he said a ban would give New Yorkers another reason to bet outside the state or cross state lines.

For New York online casino supporters, the main issue remains political support. Addabbo can keep the iGaming bill alive, but approval will likely require clearer interest from Hochul and broader agreement inside the Legislature.

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