Sports Betting For New York Residents

Is It Legal To Bet On Sports In New York?

It is legal to bet on sports in New York, thanks to a conditional referendum that was added to the state code back in 2013. In anticipation of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) being repealed, state lawmakers created an amendment to the gambling laws in the state. This amendment created four commercial casinos that would be allowed to operate sportsbooks, so long as there were no federal restrictions in the way.

Thus, when the Supreme Court finally repealed PASPA in May 2018, legal sports betting for New York residents became a reality. Despite their best efforts, lawmakers were not able to pass an expanded sports betting bill regarding mobile betting from 2018 to 2020, but in 2021 they were finally able to pass legislation, and eventually launch a regulated mobile sports betting market on January 8 2022.

There are also offshore sportsbooks for New York residents are still completely legal, safe, secure alternatives. We recommend using well-established sites like BetOnline, MyBookie, and/or SportsBetting. These sites have been operating in the Empire State for more than a decade each, and they boast a combined New York membership in the millions of users.

What Cities In New York Have Sportsbooks?

There are four cities that have sportsbooks in New York on the commercial casino end. These locations are spread throughout the upstate area, making the venture for New York City residents quite the trek. Still, options exist in the tribal casinos, but the upstate commercial casinos with sportsbooks in New York are located in Monticello, Nichols, Schenectady, and Waterloo.

Monticello, NY - Resorts World Catskills is the newest of the commercial gambling venues in NY, as it opened in February 2018. Fully equipped with a sports betting lounge and a fully trained sportsbook staff, the Monticello book is located just 90 minutes from NYC.

Nichols, NY - The Nichols sportsbook is further west, near the New York-Pennsylvania border. This venue – the Tioga Downs Casino Resort – has been providing residents and visitors with the best table games and slot options since its opening. It is also the only commercial casino with live and simulcast pari-mutuel wagering on-site.

Schenectady, NY - The Schenectady sportsbook is found at the Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady. This state-of-the-art resort offers a relaxing day spa and plenty of amenities to keep the whole family entertained. For residents in the eastern part of the state, this remains the most convenient land-based sports betting option in New York.

Waterloo, NY - If you live in the northern part of the Empire State, your best bet will be to visit the Waterloo sportsbook. There, you’ll find the Del Lago Resort & Casino, a stunningly beautiful venue in an even more picturesque location. When wagering on sports here, you’ll be able to join a rewards program that includes complimentary drink service and weekly jackpot giveaways.

New York Sports Betting & Gambling Laws

It used to be pretty tough trying to figure out the state of sports betting in New York. It required stumbling through civil statutes and the penal code to find out what was legal and what wasn’t. Then federal laws on the same topic had to be researched. However, things were made much easier in 2013 when lawmakers passed a referendum on the existing gambling laws in NY, called the Upstate New York Economic Gaming Development Act.

This act allowed for four commercial casinos to operate in the state aside from the tribal casinos as federal restrictions were lifted. Although construction on the casinos began right away, the sports betting portion of this bill remained inactive for the better part of five years, thanks to a federal ban called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). PASPA eliminated states’ abilities to operate their own sportsbooks (excepting Nevada) and was put into place by Congress in 1992.

This is the federal law that New Jersey fought all the way to the US Supreme Court and won the repeal in May 2018. On the grounds that it was unconstitutionally taking away states’ rights, the federal restriction was out of the way, making sports betting official legal in New York and ready for launch after the gaming regulations were approved. The first legal sports bet in New York was placed at Rivers Sportsbook on July 16, 2019, since then New York lawmakers have been in a stalemate on how to find the proper ways to tax the sports betting industry. As far as the laws of New York go Title M, Article 225 lays out the ways you can and cannot gamble legally in New York. Since NY is one of the laxer states when it comes to gambling in the US and the NY State Register has the laws that which sports betting operators must abide by.

Legal Gambling Age For New York Residents

In the state of New York, you will have to be at least 21 in order to gamble on sports. This decision was made by lawmakers, so it’s a statewide requirement, and there are no exceptions. Offshore sports betting sites will take NY members who are at least 18, but since the state has an explicit sports betting age limit, you should defer to that before wagering over the Internet.

Land Based Gambling In New York

New York law has made it so that there are only four legal retail casino sportsbooks partnered with tribal casinos. There are also much smaller sportsbooks at tribal III casinos spread throughout the state. Some of the best casino sportsbooks in New York are the Rivers Sportsbook at Rivers Schenectady Casino, DraftKings Sportsbook at del Lago Casino, FanDuel Sportsbook at Tioga Downs, and Sportsbook 360 at Resorts World Catskills. These four casinos are among the top land-based sports betting options in New York but in the future, even more retail casino sportsbooks could be coming into the robust in-person sports betting market.

Cities That Might Get Sportsbooks In NY

Monticello Sportsbooks

Nichols Sportsbooks

Schenectady Sportsbooks

Waterloo Sportsbooks

Legal NFL Betting In New York

New Yorkers have a sea of legal professional football betting options available to them if they want to bet on NFL games, futures, or player props. Whether choosing to place your NFL wagers in person or through mobile devices, NY bettors have no shortage of legal ways to bet on football. No one has ever been arrested in New York for using the internet to bet on NFL games. If in New York and searching for a legal way to bet on the NY Jets, Buffalo Bill, or NY Giants stick to the sports betting sites we have outlined on this page.

Legal College Football Betting In NY

Legal college football betting might be difficult to find at in-state sportsbooks once such services are rolled out, primarily because NCAA betting is such a hot-button issue. For example, neighboring New Jersey doesn’t allow its in-state collegiate clubs to receive action at local sportsbooks, nor does it allow any wagering on out-of-state teams that are playing within NJ’s borders. New York has followed the same regulations and prevents in-state collegiate wagering.

Because of this, we suggest heading to a sportsbook online, where you’re guaranteed to find a host of NCAA Division-I games covered, including those from NY. It doesn’t matter if you’re betting on the Syracuse Orange or betting against a team from Army, Columbia, or Cornell. No matter which local NY team you favor, you’re going to be far more likely to find more games, more teams, and more options at online, offshore sportsbooks that accept New York residents than you’ll ever find at any books inside the state.

FAQ About Online Sports Betting In New York

1) Where can I find the text of the state laws mentioned on this page?

To peruse the 2013 Upstate New York Gaming Economic Development Act, you can visit the official law history here. You can read about NY gambling offenses here, and you can browse the pari-mutuel laws of NY here. Sports wagering is referenced specifically under the latter section in Article 13, Title 8.

2) What about the other New York state laws? Where can I find them?

Visit the state assembly's website and keyword search “gambling”. You’ll be brought to a listing of each year’s civil and penal codes. You’ll be able to find everything, as it has been written and amended throughout the years there. For the Consolidated Laws of New York, you can visit the official page here.

3) Does Bovada Welcome Players From New York State?

Unfortunately, Bovada does not serve those in the state of New York. In 2019, Bovada once again accepted players fr om New York. However, in 2021 they pulled out of the New York market once more due to stricter regulations. In order to keep their users safe, they had to suspend operations in the Empire State. There is a chance they could come back again, but there has been no set date yet.

4) If not authorized by the state, how do I know these offshore sites are legitimate?

Each of the sites listed on this page is regulated, licensed, and kept in check by their own home governments. In addition, we have personally tested the sites we recommend for quality control and fairness standards, and each exceeds our expectations (and continue to do so). These sites are run under the supervision of government-authorized gaming commissions and are housed in places like the UK, Costa Rica, and Panama.

5) Has any New York resident been arrested for gambling on sports over the Internet?

No. New York residents have nothing to fear when it comes to putting a few dollars down on the weekend's games. A problem arises when New York residents try to operate their own sports betting operations, as unlicensed bookmaking is unambiguously against the law. However, individual sports bettors have not been criminalized for placing wagers over the Internet at offshore sports betting sites.

6) Is it safe to deposit with a credit card into these betting sites?

Yes, your credit card information is totally safe with the sites we recommend. They use industry-leading security measures, and they never sell any of your personal information to third parties. For added security, these services all accept cryptocurrency, as well. You can wager at these offshore books with full peace of mind!

7) If the UIGEA makes it illegal to process financial transactions, how can I legally deposit or withdraw from my betting site?

The UIGEA only makes it illegal for domestic (i.e. US-based) banks, payment processors, and gambling sites to knowingly process payments related to gaming. As with any other law, however, the UIGEA does not have jurisdiction over gambling sites that are operating overseas. If your credit or debit card is rejected during the sportsbook deposit process, don’t worry. You have not been flagged, you aren’t in trouble, and your card will still work for other purchases. If this ever happens, simply try a different card or cut the banks out of the transaction altogether by using Bitcoin or another supported cryptocurrency.

8) Do taxes need to be paid on my winnings?

Any federal taxes must be paid on all sources of income, including online gambling winnings. You can get all the information you need to include this information in your federal income taxes here. As NY has a state income tax, you will also need to claim your winnings in accordance with local recordkeeping laws.

9) If I pay my taxes, won't the government know I was gambling on sports on the Internet?

Due to the autonomy of the IRS, your information will be kept safe. And even then, what you are doing is not a crime to begin with, so there’s no need to worry. As long as Uncle Sam gets his cut of your winnings, he won’t complain.

10) How fast can I get my winnings from these gambling sites?

None of our top recommended gambling sites will take more than a week or two to get you your winnings, and payouts are typically much faster than that. Everything depends on the payout method you choose and the amount that has to be processed. As a general rule, for same-day payouts, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are the way to go. If you opt for a courier check, money order, or bank transfer, however, you can expect to wait a week or so in most cases.