New York's iGaming debate is now a fixture of the legislative calendar. Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr., a Queens Democrat who chairs the Senate's gaming committee, has introduced online casino legislation for six consecutive years. In 2026 he was joined again by Assemblymember Carrie Woerner on the Assembly side. And once again, the effort fell short.
The 2026 bills
- Senate Bill S2614 (Addabbo) — the primary Senate vehicle to authorize online casino gaming.
- Assembly Bill A6027 (Woerner) — the companion bill in the Assembly.
- Assembly Bill A5922 (Woerner) — an alternative version emphasizing consumer-protection provisions.
All three remained parked in their respective Racing, Gaming and Wagering committees and did not advance to a floor vote.
What the bills proposed
| Provision | Proposal |
|---|---|
| Tax rate | 30.5% of gross gaming revenue (lower than the 51% sports betting rate) |
| Eligible operators | Licensed casinos, video-lottery facilities, tribal operators, and existing mobile sports betting licensees |
| Games | Slots, table games, live dealer, online poker and internet lottery |
| Legal age | 21 (matching casino and sports betting) |
Why it stalled again
Three forces have repeatedly kept iGaming from crossing the finish line:
- Governor Hochul's caution. The Governor has not endorsed online casino legalization and left it out of the 2026 executive budget. Without a champion in the executive branch, tax-and-spend measures like this rarely move.
- Union and labour concerns. Hospitality and casino worker unions fear that online casino would cannibalize brick-and-mortar venues and cost jobs — a politically potent argument in New York.
- Downstate casino rollout. With three new downstate licenses only awarded in December 2025, lawmakers have preferred to establish the physical properties before adding online competition.
The revenue argument
Proponents point to New York's neighbours. New Jersey's regulated online casinos generate well over a billion dollars in annual revenue, a large share of it from New York residents who cross the state line or the Hudson to play legally. Supporters argue New York is leaving hundreds of millions in tax revenue on the table each year it waits.
Until then
Until New York passes a bill, there is no regulated online casino in the state. New Yorkers who play online use either regulated apps in neighbouring states or offshore sites — see is online casino legal in New York? for the current options.