For those in New York waiting for legal mobile sports betting, that wait will continue. For the second straight year, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has left mobile sports betting out of the state budget.
New York legislators were hopeful that Cuomo would include mobile sports betting in the most recent state budget in order to help with the growing Coronavirus costs. On top of that, New York is looking at a $6 billion budget deficit and the state will be seeing less tax revenue next year due to the current economic shutdown. Still, Cuomo did not find it necessary to include mobile sports betting in the state budget.
Along with stopping the idea of legal mobile sports betting in New York, Cuomo also put an end to the idea of expediting the licensing process for three downtown New York City casinos. Something that also would have helped bring in more tax revenue for the state.
Mobile sports betting has been a hot button issue in New York for years. The Empire State is losing millions of dollars per year to neighboring New Jersey and Pennsylvania. New York residents find it much more convenient to travel short distances across state lines to place mobile bets rather than having to travel to upstate New York to place bets at a licensed casino sportsbook.
Cuomo isn’t the only one who has been actively against mobile sports betting in New York. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastle has been on Cuomo’s side since day one in terms of mobile sports betting. Whenever mobile sports betting gets any traction in the New York legislature, Heastle is usually the hurdle that can’t be passed.
Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. has been New York’s top advocate for legal mobile sports betting since the PASPA ruling back in May of 2018. Addabbo says that he has addressed the concerns of Cuomo in regards to mobile sports betting. Addabbo believes that Cuomo and Heastle are just “delaying the inevitable” and that mobile sports betting in New York is a matter of “when”, not “if”.
