The Covid-19 pandemic has devastated revenue collections in every state, New York included. So any opportunity to increase those revenues should be most welcome, and in the case of New York, that opportunity could be the legalization of online sports betting.
Proponents indicated it could happen within weeks when lawmakers return to session tasked with balancing the 2020 budget. The state deficit of around $13 billion has spurred calls to seek ways to raise revenue.
“It’s going to happen,” Assemblyman Gary Pretlow said.
Still, a few wrinkles need to be ironed out, per the Buffalo News:
- Some lawmakers believe pro sports leagues and sportsbooks would take in too much money at the expense of proceeds to the state.
- Others say there’s already too much gambling in New York.
- Governor Andrew Cuomo says adding mobile gaming requires a time-consuming constitutional amendment.
Sports betting is permitted at brick-and-mortar casinos in New York, which remain closed except for Native American ones. And both Pennsylvania and New Jersey permit online wagering adjacent to New York.
So what happens next? Maybe nothing. Could be lawmakers begin the constitutional amendment process, but that would require legislators to pass something by August 3. Could be lawmakers could throw the mobile sports betting authorization into the legislation in the coming weeks and hope Cuomo doesn’t veto it.
Last week, State Senator Joseph Addabbo, a sponsor of the sports gambling bill, was buoyed that the Assembly did not pass the constitutional amendment at its July session. Still, he and Pretlow would agree to the amendment vote as a placeholder in case Cuomo wouldn’t budge.
Given the financial crisis, Pretlow and Addabbo hinted that Assembly Democrats may be taking another look at the issue.
“In my conversations with leadership, they indicated that it will probably be put in the revenue package … whenever that is,’’ Pretlow said.
Said Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, “I have no idea whether other people are softening on this. I am not. The reality is that there are many other revenue proposals with which I am more comfortable.”
