The New York Senate recently proposed their budget for the state with the inclusion of online poker and sports betting. While the two options are included in the budget, it does not mean that New York will be passing laws on both subjects anytime soon. However, it is positive that the two have been added as ways to bring more revenues to the state. Yet, this is not the first time that iPoker has been considered and in the past, efforts to see such gaming changes in New York have failed to gain momentum.
This is actually the third year running that online poker has been added to a document of the Senate but the first time that sports betting has been included. While the Senate has added poker to their proposed budget before, the Assembly does not seem to show interest in the gaming option, be it this year or in the past. Governor Andrew Cuomo has also not placed the two within this budget proposal.
So, does online poker have a chance in 2018 for New York? All signs say no. in the past, the Senate has been open with their willingness to see online poker gaming come to life in the state but the Assembly has not. In the past, the Senate has passed legislation two times involving online poker but neither bills were able to become law.
It seems the problem is with the Assembly. The chamber has never voted on online poker in the past and the gaming committee chairman of the chamber, Representative Gary Pretlow, has tried to work on online poker in the past but never advanced such legislation for a vote within the full floor.
The final budget must be approved by April 1st. So, we shall see in the coming weeks what takes shape and if online poker or sports betting makes the final cut or is thrown to the wayside again like so many other times before.
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