Just a few weeks into the year, California, Mississippi, and Washington State have introduced iGaming bills to state legislatures. New York is now likely to join the same ranks. According to GamblingCompliance, Gary Pretlow, a New York Assemblyman and chairman of the Racing and Wagering Committee has suggested a bill will likely be introduced sometime this year.
The notion warrants serious consideration, seeing as Pretlow is the likely lawmaker who introduces the bill. Pretlow pushed an online gambling bill into the Assembly last year, and Senator John Bonacic introduced an iGaming bill in the New York Senate. While a hefty pro-iGaming push is expected, its passage is not.
Pretlow even said, “online poker will not happen within the year.” New York is currently embattled with a decision regarding land-based casinos, with three licenses handed out in December, with a fourth likely. The state will more than likely want to see how casino expansion affects overall gaming revenue before they can gauge what prospects online gambling has.
MGM has even backed the idea of online gambling in the state, with their campaign Let NY Play. While the company created the campaign hoping their casino license bid would be approved, even after rejection, the campaign is still active.
