NY Assemblyman hesitates on sports betting expansion

The Assembly Speaker said that while he’s willing to discuss the issue with members of the Democratic majority, he’s not a fan of expanding gambling.

US.- Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie discussed the recent legalisation of sports betting on a federal level and said that while he will discuss the issue with members of the Assembly’s ruling Democratic majority, he’s not very keen on sports betting in New York.

“I am not a big fan of gambling but again it’s legal here in the state,” Heastie said. “The members will decide.” The Assembly Speaker’s comments come after the US Supreme Court ruled that the federal prohibition on sports betting was unconstitutional and that each state deserved the right to decide whether they wanted to legalise and regulate sports betting.

Under existing law, the four commercial casinos in New York can start offering sports betting operations as soon as the state’s Gaming Commission gives them the thumbs up, but lawmakers are discussing ways to allow them to offer online platforms as well.

Former New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who visited the Capitol earlier this week on behalf of the Major League Baseball (MBL), highlighted the necessity of tight controls on sports betting: “I am here encouraging the New York legislators to pass a law that basically protects the integrity of the game.”

Sports gambling supporters argue that there is an existing illegal market operating in the state and that the best for New York would be to legalise and regulate the industry in order to protect consumers and sports leagues, while also collecting millions from revenue for the state annually.

However, state Senator John Bonacic, head of the Senate’s Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering, said: “I think [the Governor] is more concerned with politics than actually spending time on public policy.” The comments emerged after New York’s Governor, Andrew Cuomo, said that he doubted that there was enough time left in the Legislature’s session to address the issue. Nevertheless, Bonacic said that he was confident that the Legislature will approve a legislation before the session ends. “If there is a will to do it, it will get done,” he said.