New York Senator Makes Third Bid For iCasino Bill, Despite Opposition

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. And if that second try doesn’t work, maybe the third time’s a charm?

That’s the hope of New York state Sen. Joseph Addabbo, who, for the third time in as many years, has introduced an iCasino bill. The bill calls for a 30.5% tax rate on gross gaming revenue.

To suss out how much money that would potentially mean for the Empire State, we can turn to New Jersey, which reported $2.4 billion in iCasino GGR in 2024. New York has a little more than double the population of New Jersey, so a fair guess as to a mature iCasino market would be in the neighborhood of $5 billion in GGR.

That could potentially mean about $1.5 billion in taxes paid annually by the operators.

But chances of the bill passing this year remain slim, as Gov. Kathy Hochul — for the third year in a row — failed to mention iCasino in her budget remarks for 2026.

iLottery yes, sweepstakes no

Some other highlights from the bill:

• Covers full range of casino games including slots, table games, poker tournaments
• Enables live-dealer games streamed from NY-based studios
• Allows for video lottery terminal games
• Expands lottery to include online ticket sales
• Authorizes interstate gaming agreements (pending regulations)

In order to qualify for a license to operate an online casino, operators must be either an existing New York casino, a racino, an Indian tribe with a gaming compact, or a current mobile sports betting operator. Each operator would get one “skin” (branded platform).

Additionally, the bill would likely eliminate the sweepstakes, social, and/or crypto operators from obtaining a license, as the bill reads, “An unlicensed entity offering games or contests that require a license or temporary permit issued by the Commission under Article thirteen or fourteen of this chapter within the previous three years of the effective date of this article shall be ineligible to receive an interactive gaming license.”

In addition to the governor not mentioning any form of iCasino or iLottery in her budget speech, Addabbo’s bill also faces opposition from unions. Last year, more than 700 workers at Resorts World Casino at Aqueduct wrote a strongly-worded letter to the senator, accusing him of plotting to take away their jobs.

“We find it appalling that you are pushing legislation that would hurt workers like us and our industry in order to benefit a handful of companies who are seeking massive profits at our expense,” read the letter, sent under the letterhead of the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council union.