New York Senators Double Down on Online Casino Expansion at FanDuel Event

A New York Senator with a heavy gaming interest is still pushing for online casino legalization.

Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. (D-District 15) while speaking at the celebratory unveiling of FanDuel’s new New York office building said that he will renew the push to adopt online casino legislation. Currently, only seven states allow licensed iGaming operators.

Five of those states—Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island—are adjacent to or near the Big Apple.

A continued push

Addabbo Jr. is the chairman of the New York Senate’s Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee. He’s been involved in a variety of gaming measures and campaigns, including those for various sportsbook safeguards, a fight to make insurance providers cover problem gambling treatment, new advertising restrictions, and more.

He was invited to FanDuel’s grand opening alongside many company officials. FanDuel had been headquartered in New York for more than 10 years but moved its building from 300 Park Avenue South to Madison Avenue.

Addabbo Jr. in January introduced Senate Bill 2614, which would legalize online casinos across the state and implement a 30.5 percent tax on gaming revenue.

The bill also included a three-year ban for unauthorized gambling platforms, regulations for online lottery sales, and a $25 million annual provision to support the online gaming workforce.

Gambling servers used by licensed platforms would also be housed in licensed retail casinos, of which New York is about to add three more in a highly-anticipated battle between high-profile suitors.

Although the bill failed to garner much support, he is ready to continue fighting for online casino expansion.

“We’re not done, we want to expand FanDuel here with iGaming,” Addabbo Jr. said during the unveiling. “It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when, and that’s when we’re really going to blow this out of the water.”

Changes to the gambling market

Addabbo Jr. and Assemblymember Carrie Woerner (D-Assembly District 113), Chair of Assembly's Racing and Wagering Committee, just Wednesday announced the passage of legislation that outlawed sweepstakes casinos.  

“Unregulated online sweepstakes games are designed to look and feel like legitimate gambling platforms, but they are operating outside the law, since New York has not legalized nor regulated online casino games yet,” said Addabbo Jr. “These illegal sites prey on youth, problem gamblers, and everyday New Yorkers, while diverting millions in potential revenue away from legal, taxed, and regulated gaming entities in our state.”

The path to legalization is still an uphill battle. A recent survey found that less than half of respondents favored an expansion in online gambling.

That’s despite New York having the clear-cut most prominent sports betting market in America. The state generated $2.1 billion in sportsbook revenue in 2024, while Illinois was second at $1.2 billion.

Nearby Maine also just approved online casino legislation, which is waiting on Gov. Janet Mills’ (D) signature.

As previously mentioned, New York is also set to award three retail casino operator’s licenses by the end of the year. The window for license applicants closes on Friday.