The revamped bill being pushed by Pretlow and Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Queens) would enable tribal and business casinos to provide sports betting statewide should they pony up to get a license fee of $12 million. Additionally, it requires casinos to pay a state tax of 8.5% of gross sports wagering earnings and a 12% tax on cellular sports wagers. With the end on the legislative session rapidly approaching and a plethora of different problems being prioritized over online wagering, a recently tweaked invoice allowing four private casinos and people run by Native American tribes to get in on the action is stuck in the starting gate.
Current state law only allows in-person sports betting at the upstate casinos, but regulations governing the websites are still pending.