With the hugely successful launch of online sports betting in New York taking up much of the gaming news cycle in recent months, it is no surprise that whispers of a regulated iGaming market have begun to emerge.
One of the leading proponents of a safe and legal online casino market is State Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr., who has recently put forward a bill to see the activity legalized.
Speaking to Gaming America, Addabbo said: “Building upon the success of mobile sports betting in New York we see that there is an appetite to launch a regulated and safe form of iGaming or online casino using a mobile device.
“Other states are already doing this very successfully. With the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, we saw a lot more people want to gamble from the comfort of their own homes.”
Sports betting has already brought in well over $100m in revenue for the state, partly due the region’s 51% tax rate, and Addabbo believes iGaming could be equally profitable.
“It would mean about $500m a year in revenue and most importantly, educational funds.”
While revenue is, of course, an exciting topic, the senator also made clear that responsible gaming will be at the forefront of any legal iGaming plans.
“You can't talk about the expansion of iGaming without talking about addiction,” said the senator. “There is always an addiction issue, the problem gambling issue needs to be at the forefront of the discussion and it is for me.”
Addabbo believes it is unlikely that we will see iGaming launch throughout the Empire State in 2022. However, we could see a 2023 launch, as more support continues to arise for the initiative.
