NY Governor discusses mobile sports betting

The Governor of New York said that mobile sports betting could be approved before the session ends next month.

US.- New York hasn’t given up on the possibility to offer mobile sports betting. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said this week that state legislators could approve a measure before the current session ends on June 19.

“It’s possible,” Cuomo told WAMC radio. “I think the time is short and the list is long, so I would counsel the legislative leaders to get the priorities done because these priorities are not easy,” he said.

Cuomo recently said that mobile sports betting would need a change to the state’s Constitution, which a year-long process. Nevertheless, lawmakers don’t give up as they know that New Yorkers currently cross the Hudson to place bets in New Jersey. This costs New York millions in tax revenue.

“The last conversation I had with… the governor’s office was last week, and we were still not on the same page,” said state Sen. Joe Addabbo (D-Queens), a sponsor of the mobile sports betting bill and chairman of the Senate Gaming and Wagering Committee.

“If the governor wants this — it all happens if he wants it. And that’s fine — I hope it’s true,” said Addabbo. “But there are 15 days left. If he wants to do something for revenue and everything else, now is crunch time.”

Addabbo said earlier this month that if the effort fails before the end of the annual legislative session on June 19, he will continue pushing but with a different approach. He wants to amend the state constitution to allow online bets. However, this process could take up to three years to complete if successful.