New York Bill to Restrict Sports Betting Fails to Garner Support
Efforts to impose tighter restrictions on sports betting in New York have failed to move forward during the most recent legislative session. Assembly Bill A7962, introduced by Assemblyman Robert C. Carroll in April, aimed to impose substantial limitations on sports wagering activities within the state. Although the bill was reviewed by the Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee, it did not progress beyond that point and will not become law this session.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The proposed legislation sought to introduce several new rules for sports betting operators and participants. Chief among these were financial restrictions that would have limited users to no more than five deposits with any single licensed sportsbook within a 24-hour period.
Related: Study Shows Unregulated Betting Sites Winning in the USIt also would have capped wagers at $5,000 either on one sporting event or cumulatively across multiple events in a single day with one operator. In addition, the bill included a provision that would have prohibited the use of credit cards to fund sportsbook accounts.
Beyond financial restrictions, the bill also included sweeping advertising regulations aimed at reshaping how sports betting operators market to consumers. The measure called for a ban on advertisements targeting sports bettors and restricted the use of promotional language, such as terms like "bonus," "no sweat," and "bonus bet." Marketing content that included information about odds boosts or other promotional offers would have also been disallowed under the proposed law.
The legislation further sought to limit the timing of sports betting ads, prohibiting any such advertisements from airing between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., as well as banning them entirely during live sporting events regardless of broadcast time. These measures were designed to reduce the visibility of sports betting promotions and limit their potential influence on vulnerable populations, particularly during family-oriented viewing hours.
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Bill Designed to Protect New Yorkers
Assemblyman Carroll defended the bill as a necessary step to protect New Yorkers from the harmful effects of under-regulated sports betting practices. He argued that the industry's rapid growth had outpaced the state's ability to enforce consumer safeguards.
The legislation was intended to create specific monetary caps and prevent aggressive marketing tactics that could lead to problem gambling. He also disclosed that he maintains a personal betting account with Caesars Sportsbook, suggesting he has firsthand experience with the current wagering landscape.
Opponents of the bill warned that the proposed restrictions could inadvertently benefit offshore and unregulated sportsbooks, which would not be subject to the same constraints. Under current New York law, sports betting advertisements are already required to include problem gambling hotline numbers and warnings about the addictive potential of gambling. A7962 would have expanded those rules considerably.
Despite the failure of the sports betting regulation bill, the state legislature did manage to advance another significant piece of gaming legislation: a ban on sweepstakes-style casinos. That measure now awaits the signature of Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is widely expected to sign it into law.
Meanwhile, the state's sports betting market continues to operate under one of the most stringent tax regimes in the US. New York imposes a 51% tax on online sports wagering revenue, placing it at the top nationally alongside New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
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