Best New York Online Casinos 2026 – What’s Legal & Where to Play
Updated February 18, 2026
Updated February 18, 2026
New York has some of the strictest online gambling laws in the country, and that includes online casinos. Real-money casino apps aren’t legal in the Empire State, and lawmakers have now banned sweepstakes casinos that once operated in a legal gray area.
So what options actually exist for players today? This guide will break down what’s legal, what isn’t, and what New York residents can realistically expect when it comes to online casino gaming in 2026.
The short answer is no. Online casino gambling is illegal in New York. You can’t place real-money bets on slots, blackjack, roulette, poker, or any other casino game.
This is because the state doesn’t license or regulate any real-money casino sites or apps. You won’t be able to gamble on the casino platforms of major brands like DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, or Caesars, as they are not allowed to offer their casino products to New York players under the current law.
There is no New York state law that specifically bans “online casinos.”
Article I, Section 9 of the New York State Constitution, however, expressly states that all gambling is illegal in the state, except where specifically authorized by state law.
In addition, there are a number of sections within the state’s Penal Law (Article 225) that define illegal gambling activities:
These laws (among others) cover most if not all of the aspects of what it would take to run a New York online gambling site: accepting bets, running games of chance, etc. That’s why unlicensed, real-money online casinos are not legal in the state of New York.
New York is one of several states currently considering whether or not to legalize online casino gambling. The latest attempt took place in January 2025.
Senator Joseph Addabbo introduced Senate Bill S2614, which would have legalized “interactive gaming” and allowed the state’s existing casinos and sportsbook operators to offer online slots and table games. The New York State Gaming Commission would have overseen the industry.
The online casino bill also provided details on licensing, tax rates, and responsible gambling programs that would be in place, following the examples of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
It was referred to the Senate Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee, but it never came up for a vote. The 2025 legislative session ended in June, and the issue is now on hold until at least next year.
Attorney General Letitia James’ office sends cease-and-desist letters to over two dozen online sweepstakes casinos. According to the office, the sites are essentially offering illegal gambling as players can purchase virtual coins and redeem them for real cash prizes without any state oversight.
Addabbo introduces SB 5935, a bill to prohibit unregulated sweepstakes casinos in New York. This bill targets sweepstakes sites that replicate real-money gambling activities with virtual coins. The bill also gives the Gaming Commission and Attorney General the power to enforce the ban.
Addabbo introduces yet another online casino bill to the NY Senate. SB2614 would legalize online casinos in New York and allow all of the state’s commercial casinos, tribal casinos, VLT parlors, and online sports betting operators to apply for iGaming licenses.
Sen. Addabbo files S8185 (basically a tweak to his 2023 bill) as a way to fix New York’s $4.3 billion budget deficit. He points to the success of mobile sports wagering in the Empire State as an example of how iGaming could not only generate revenue, but provide a safe, regulated alternative for players.
Addabbo tries again with Bill S4856, this time proposing to award online casino licenses to all of the state’s mobile sports betting operators. However, the bill once again dies in committee.
Senator Joseph P. Addabbo gets the ball rolling for legal online casino gambling when he introduces SB 8412. The bill would have allowed operators of New York land-based casinos to each offer up to two mobile skins. However, the proposal never made it out of committee.
Since there are no state-licensed online casinos in New York, players in the state really only have two options: offshore casinos and sweepstakes casinos.
Offshore casinos are gambling websites that operate outside of U.S. jurisdiction and are not licensed or regulated by New York or any American gaming authority. While some of these sites claim to accept New York players, they do not provide the consumer protections associated with regulated platforms.
Because offshore operators exist beyond U.S. law, withdrawals may be delayed or denied, data security standards can vary, and players generally have no legal recourse if disputes arise.
For these reasons, offshore gambling sites are widely considered high-risk and are not recommended for New York residents.
Social casinos and sweepstakes casinos used to be some of the only online gaming options available to players in New York, but that’s no longer the case.
Today, any remaining platforms available in New York generally offer free-play gaming only, without cash prize redemptions.
While real-money online casinos aren’t available in New York, some platforms still offer casino-style games through free-play social casino experiences. These sites focus on entertainment rather than gambling, using virtual coins instead of real-money wagering.
Below, we’ll take a look at the social casino platforms currently accessible to New York players and compare them based on game variety, features, and overall user experience.
Social Casino | No Deposit Bonus | Number of Games | Mobile App |
|---|---|---|---|
1. High 5 | 400 GC + 3.00 SC | 1,500+ | Yes ✅ |
2. Chumba | 2 Million GC + 2.00 SC | 200+ | Yes ✅ |
3. Golden Hearts | 250K GC + 2.50 SC | 200+ | No ❌ |
4. Crown Coins | 100K CC + 2.00 SC | 500+ | Yes ✅ |
5. LuckyLand Slots | 7,777 GC + 10.00 SC | 150+ | Yes ✅ |
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First on the list is High 5 Casino, a social casino platform that remains accessible to players in New York.
The site features a large game library with more than 1,500 titles, including slots, live dealer–style games, and several arcade-style options. The broad selection provides a range of gameplay experiences within a single platform.
High 5 also offers a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices, along with daily login rewards and regularly updated promotions. For additional details on features, gameplay, and overall platform experience, see our full High 5 Casino review.
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Next is Chumba Casino, one of the more established social casino platforms available to players in New York.
The platform is known for its Social Live Casino section, which includes live blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and interactive game-show experiences. While several social casinos offer live games, Chumba places a stronger emphasis on this category within its overall lineup.
Alongside live games, the platform also features slots, scratch cards, virtual table games, video poker, and keno. For more details, check out our full Chumba Casino review.
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Golden Hearts Games leans heavily into bingo, making it a notable option for players in New York who prefer that format over traditional slot-focused platforms.
Bingo titles are available throughout the day, including games such as Candy Dreams Bingo and Old School Video Bingo. Standard rounds run frequently, with scheduled jackpot bingo events taking place at regular intervals.
Alongside bingo, the platform also includes slots, table games, and several exclusive games. For more information, read our complete Golden Hearts Games review.
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Crown Coins Casino places a strong emphasis on mobile usability, with apps available for both iOS and Android devices. The interface is clean and easy to navigate, making it simple to browse games and manage account features.
The platform offers more than 500 slot titles along with daily rewards and ongoing promotions. For additional details on features and gameplay, see our full Crown Coins Casino review.
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LuckyLand Slots places a strong focus on daily rewards and ongoing promotions, which sets it apart from some other social casino platforms available in New York.
The platform offers login rewards that increase with consecutive days of play, along with regular contests and giveaways shared through its social media channels. Weekly slot tournaments and seasonal events are also part of the experience.
For more details on features and gameplay, visit our full LuckyLand Slots review.
New York’s social casinos and sweepstakes casinos offer most of the same games you’d find at a real-money online gambling site. In some cases, they actually have more. Here’s a preview of what to expect when it comes to the types of casino games available:
Slots are typically the biggest draw at NY online casinos.
You’ll find hundreds (if not thousands) of titles to choose from, including classic 3-reelers as well as new releases with bonus rounds, progressive jackpots, and a variety of other features that keep gameplay interesting.
Blackjack, roulette, and baccarat are all available, as are some variations of each (think European roulette or single-deck blackjack). You may even find some live dealer games for a more “authentic” casino experience while playing from the comfort of your own home.
You’ll also find that most New York casino sites offer video poker games, including Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, and Double Bonus Poker. They’re fast to play and offer a nice mix of luck and skill.
If you’re looking for something a little different, there are also plenty of specialty games. Scratch cards, bingo, keno, Plinko, crash games, and fish shooting games are just some of the ones you’ll find at most NY online casinos.
Since real-money online casinos aren’t legal in New York, traditional no-deposit gambling bonuses aren’t available in the state. Some social casino platforms instead offer free virtual currency, which allow players to try games without making a payment.
The table below lists examples of free coin offers currently available from social casino platforms accessible to New York players.
🎰 NY Online Casino | 🔥 No Purchase Welcome Bonus | 🎁 Promo Code |
|---|---|---|
High 5 Casino | 400 Game Coins + 3.00 Sweeps Coins + 300 Diamonds | |
Chumba Casino | 2,000,000 Gold Coins + 2.00 Sweeps Coins | |
Crown Coins | 100,000 Crown Coins + 2.00 Sweeps Coins | |
Golden Hearts Games | 250,000 Gold Coins + 2.50 Sweeps Coins | |
Global Poker | 5,000 Gold Coins | |
LuckyLand Slots | 7,777 Gold Coins + 10.00 Sweeps Coins | |
MyPrize.us | 1,000 Gold Coins + 1.00 Sweeps Coin |
For more offers and key information, check out our full guide to New York online casino no-deposit bonuses.
Since real-money online casinos aren’t legal in New York, players who want to play casino games online can only do so through social casino platforms that use virtual coins instead of real-money wagering. Here’s how those platforms typically work.
Start by picking a social casino that accepts players located in New York. These platforms offer slots, table games, and other casino games using virtual coins. Some commonly available options include:
Visit the site or download the app and register for an account. Most platforms only require an email address and password, and some allow sign-up through Google or Facebook.
After signing up, new users usually receive free coins that can be used to try games and explore the platform.
Many platforms allow players to purchase additional coins, though this isn’t required. Daily login rewards and other promotional offers are often available without making a purchase.
Once logged in, you can access slots, table games, and other games using your available coins. As always, gaming should be treated as entertainment and played responsibly.
Real-money online casinos and online poker sites still aren’t legal in New York. But the good news is that most other types of online gambling are. Here’s a quick look at what you can actually do right now.
New York Online Gambling Options | Is It Allowed? ✅ | Legal Gambling Age 🔞 |
|---|---|---|
🎲 Casinos | No | N/A |
♠️ Poker | No | N/A |
🏀 Sports Betting | Yes | 21+ |
🏇 Horse Race Betting | Yes | 18+ |
🏈 Daily Fantasy Sports | Yes | 18+ |
🎟️ Lottery Games | Yes | 18+ |
New York online sportsbooks launched in 2022, and the industry's been booming ever since.
You can open an app like DraftKings, FanDuel, or BetMGM and bet on nearly any game you want. These sportsbooks are all licensed by the state, so they’re completely above board.
Horse racing is another legal way to gamble online in New York. Pari-mutuel wagering has been around here for decades, and now you can do it right from your phone.
Licensed apps like TwinSpires, NYRA Bets, DK Horse, and FanDuel Racing all let you bet on races across the country.
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) has been legal since 2016, and it’s still a big hit. You can draft lineups, compete against other players, and win real money on apps like DraftKings, FanDuel, Underdog or PrizePicks.
Even the New York Lottery has moved online. You can buy tickets through courier sites such as Jackpot.com or Lotto.com, both of which are approved to sell official lottery tickets and deliver your winnings right to you.
Curious how New York’s online gambling laws stack up against its neighboring states? Just take a look at the table below.
State | Online Casinos | Online Poker | Online Sports Betting |
|---|---|---|---|
New York | ❌ Not Legal | ❌ Not Legal | ✅ Legal |
✅ Legal | ✅ Legal | ✅ Legal | |
✅ Legal | ✅ Legal | ✅ Legal | |
✅ Legal | ✅ Legal | ✅ Legal | |
✅ Legal | ✅ Legal | ✅ Legal | |
❌ Not Legal | ❌ Not Legal | ✅ Legal | |
❌ Not Legal | ❌ Not Legal | ✅ Legal | |
❌ Not Legal | ❌ Not Legal | ✅ Legal | |
❌ Not Legal | ❌ Not Legal | ✅ Legal | |
❌ Not Legal | ❌ Not Legal | ✅ Legal | |
✅ Legal | ✅ Legal | ✅ Legal | |
❌ Not Legal | ❌ Not Legal | ✅ Legal |
As you can see, online sports betting is legal in nearly all of New York’s nearby neighbors. Online casinos are a different story.
States like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut have already legalized iGaming with regulated sites where you can play online casino games for real money. New York hasn’t taken that step yet… which I can only imagine is disappointing to those who would rather play from home.
Still, with New York surrounded by states where real-money online casinos are already live, it could help speed up the process.
Lawmakers won’t have to look too far to see how much tax revenue and player interest those markets are already creating. Success like that could eventually sway New York to jump on board.
New York doesn’t have any legal, real-money online casinos at the moment, but it does have a number of options when it comes to legal land-based gambling. The Empire State has two dozen or so casinos located around the state, all of them in good standing and open for business.
There are tribal casinos, commercial casino resorts, and racetrack casinos (which we’ll just refer to as “racinos”). The list of casino games you’ll find includes slots, blackjack, roulette, craps, poker, bingo, and more. And you can even bet on sports in some of them.
Let’s take a look at the complete list of local NY casinos where you can play:
These New York casinos are all tribally-owned. They’re operated by Native American nations and governed by tribal-state compacts, which are negotiated with the state and approved by the federal government. NY has two types of tribal casinos: Class II and Class III.
New York Tribal Casino 🎰 | Location 🌎 | Type of Casino Games Offered 🎲 |
|---|---|---|
Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort | Akwesasne, NY | Class III |
Lakeside Entertainment | Union Springs, NY | Class II |
Point Place Casino | Bridgeport, NY | Class III |
Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino | Salamanca, NY | Class III |
Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino | Buffalo, NY | Class III |
Seneca Irving Casino | Irving, NY | Class II |
Seneca Gaming & Entertainment Oil Spring | Cuba, NY | Class II |
Seneca Gaming and Entertainment Salamanca | Salamanca, NY | Class II |
Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel | Niagara Falls, NY | Class III |
Turning Stone Resort Casino | Verona, NY | Class III |
The Inn at Turning Stone | Verona, NY | Class III |
Yellow Brick Road Casino & Sports Book | Chittenango, NY | Class III |
These are all state-licensed casinos overseen by the New York State Gaming Commission.
Commercial casinos offer all gaming options (slots, table games, poker, and even retail sports betting), while racinos also combine casino-style gaming with live or simulcast horse racing. The majority of racinos have video lottery terminals (VLTs) in place of slot machines.
New York Commercial Casino/Racino 🎰 | Location 🌎 | Type 🏇 |
|---|---|---|
Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel | Batavia, NY | Racino |
del Lago Resort & Casino | Waterloo, NY | Commercial |
Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway | Yonkers, NY | Racino |
Finger Lakes Gaming and Race Track | Farmington, NY | Racino |
Hamburg Gaming Buffalo Raceway at the Fairgrounds | Hamburg, NY | Racino |
Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel | Islandia, NY | Racino |
Resorts World Catskills | Monticello, NY | Commercial |
Resorts World New York City | Queens, NY | Racino |
Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady | Schenectady, NY | Commercial |
Saratoga Gaming & Racing | Saratoga Springs, NY | Racino |
Tioga Downs Casino Resort | Nichols, NY | Commercial |
Vernon Downs Casino Hotel | Vernon, NY | Racino |
Whether it’s online or offline, gambling should always be a form of entertainment. However, if it ever starts to cause negative impacts in your life (i.e., you’re concerned about the amount of time or money you’re spending), there are a number of resources available in New York that can help.
They are all free and entirely confidential.
Is online gambling legal in New York?
It depends on your definition of "gambling." If you’re asking whether there are any legal New York online casinos that let you wager real money, the answer is no. But if you're asking about legal sports betting apps (DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, etc.) that let you gamble on sporting events, the answer is yes. Those are allowed.
When will online casinos be legal in NY?
It’s hard to say at the moment. Senator Joe Addabbo has introduced an online casino bill every year since 2022. The most recent one was SB 2614 in 2025. Each one would legalize and regulate iGaming in New York. None of them have, so far, had enough support to advance. However, interest in online gambling increases every year. It seems less a matter of whether New York will legalize it... and more a matter of when.
Are sweepstakes casinos legal in New York?
It’s complicated. Social casinos that feature online sweepstakes games and offer real cash prizes are legal in the vast majority of U.S. states, since they do not technically involve real-money gambling. However, New York has been cracking down on these types of sites in recent years. The state’s Attorney General sent cease-and-desist letters to 26 operators in the state, and Sen. Addabbo introduced a bill to outright ban sweepstakes casinos. That being said, there are still a few social casinos in New York that you can legally play at today. High 5, Chumba, and Crown Coins are among the top options available right now.
Written by Peyton Powell, U.S. iGaming Expert & Industry Analyst
Peyton Powell covers U.S. sports betting, online casinos and daily fantasy sports, including app reviews, bonus term analysis, and state-by-state availability. His work focuses on explaining contest formats, promo mechanics, and key restrictions in plain language so readers can make informed decisions.